The reunion in the Afterlife
by annoying-antisocial
Summary: ****SEQUEL to 'A Family Lost' absolutely MUST read first story*** Sweets' life may have ended but his pain did not. ((CoWritten with sldlovespandf15))


It had taken Sweets awhile to go into the light. He wanted to make sure the team was okay, and after awhile they were getting there. He knew he had to go, it was far past time. That and he knew his parents were probably waiting on him to get there with them.

He gently pushed through the light, and found himself in a large room, empty of everything but a few chairs and three people. Two elderly people were smiling at him. He grinned at his parents before glancing at the other young man, who had dark hair and ice blue eyes.

"Vincent Nijel Murray?" Sweets eyed the goustly Brit.

"Doctor Sweets!" The young man smiled eagerly, "I'm glad to see you, thought...It saddens me to know that you can no longer help the world. Did you know that psychologists-"

"Yes, darling, your facts can wait." Sweets' mother said gently, and the young brit nodded slowly at the woman. "Let's get my baby settled in, it's gonna be a long wait for his friends."

Sweets' gut twisted horribly at the thought of the team without him, causing a strange bubbling to run a course through his gut. Twists and turns, jumps and ducks all making him woosy. His father was beside him in a moment, a strong hand on his shoulder as he stumbled.

"It's okay, bud." His father smiled at him as he led the young spirit over to a chair.

"It's okay, sweetie." His mother cooed softly, rapping her arms around him.

"I know it hard, Dr. Sweets, I felt the same when I arrived here." Vincent smiled kindly at Sweets. "The team will be okay, you made sure of that."

"I don't know... I... I can't..." Sweets stuttered, his feelings over welming him slightly.

"You'll be okay, baby." His mother kissed his forehead softly and brought him into her arms fully. Vincent walked to a table that had tea on it, pouring a steaming cup for sweets and bending down before the older man.

"Drink this, breath, you can't have a panic attack here." The man spoke smoothly, kindly, and Sweets' parents smiled at him with genuine affection.

"Th-thank you." Sweets murmured as he took a sip, letting it sooth him slightly. He felt warm and cozy.

"So, these are your parents, Dr. Sweets? They are delightfully good people." Vincent said kindly, hoping to calm the man.

"They are." Sweets smiled. "I just wish I had lived long enough to give them some grand children." Sweets gave his mother a sad smile. His mother waved a hand, tears dancing at the edges of her eyes. Her husband wrapped an arm around her shoulders, both of them staring a moment.

"No need darling, I'm glad you were happy in the life you did have."

"We are so proud of you, bud." His father smiled at him. "You led an amazing life. FBI, never would have thought that when we took you in." His father chuckled slightly.

"Thanks." Sweets nodded, a small smile on his face.

"We have a place ready for you here, right by us. It'll be hard only being able to watch and wait for your friends but you'll get used to it." His mother said softly, giving him the best smile that she could.

"And, you can finally meet our family that had already passed when we got you. We can't wait to show you off." His father patted his shoulder. Sweets gave a bigger smile, but the uneasiness in his gut still rose and fell like the ocean. Vincent nodded, standing slowly.

"I'm near your parents, see, I don't have any relatives around here." Vincent explained, waving it away as though it wasn't important. Sweets stared at him a moment, pity fighting the sickness inside, causing him to lurch forward and groan. A soothing hand rubbed circles on his back, his mother whispering a soft lullaby into his ear.

He was dead. Honestly, completely, no pulse, no breathing, buried in the ground dead.

"Don't worry, bud, everything will be fine." His father soothed.

"Time will fly, come on, Dr. sweets, let's go get you settled into your new home so you can rest." Vincent smiled as they helped Sweets up and out of room.

It really didn't feel like that long, but before he knew it had happened, thirty years had passed and he had gotten that letter. The one saying that Seeley Booth was going to be joining him. He had seen it coming, Booths health wasn't the best. All that wear and tear had gotten to the agent in the end. He asked Vincent if he wanted to come and greet Booth with him but the Brit was busy with his mother, who had arrived a few years ago.

He entered Booths waiting room to see Pops standing there with Booths mother, both if whom had passed within the last few years along with many of the teams parents and relatives, there was also a man who looked younger then the other two, standing at a distance. The spirit had a gray gloom around him. He assumed thus was Booths father.

"Am I late?" He piped and Pops and Booth mom looked at him.

"Pipsqueak! When the hell did you get up here in the afterlife?" Pops exclaimed, looking Sweets over.

"Pops, Seeleys friend died thirty years ago, remember?" Booths mother reminded Pops.

"I don't think so." Pops shook his head.

"I promise I did." Sweets said with shrug. An uneasy feeling filled him at the notion of being gone 30 years. If it weren't for Havist he'd be nearly 60 now. Possibly married, grandchildren even. The familiar bitterness was dull on his tongue, like the flavor of toothpaste after coffee. He still hurt when he twisted wrong, his mother said when a traumatic death strikes the victims experience dull pain in the place -or places- that caused the death. Vincent's chest hurt sometimes, and occasionally he and Sweets would sit together and vent about being ended so soon. This life- death? Whatever- had become routine, normal, almost happy when he wasn't in the throws of one of his fits.

"If you say so. You shoulda stopped by, we could have planned Dominos." Pops said and Sweets gave him a 'mhm.'

"So, is that... Is he Booths...?" Sweets gestured at the man who was standing at a distance.

Pops looked at the young boy and tilted his head. "Old friend of Seeley's, died in that war." Sweets tilted his head, confused. He'd assumed it was Booth's father, but if it wasn't then...

"Where is his dad?" Sweets blurted before he could think.

"We decided it was best that he stay away... We all made are peace with him but Seeley..." Booth mother said, hesitating slightly.

"Right." Sweets grimaced before looking at the opposite wall, which had begun to glow. Booth was coming. This also caught the others attention. Sweets backed away towards a corner of the room so Booths family could greet him when he came through to this side. Sweets ducked into the shadows and bumped into a figure. He turned with a start and was met with a dopey grin that he knew to well. "Gordon Gordon!" The spirit squeaked and then smiled at the brit, throwing his hands up. "I didn't know you were here!"

"I wanted to be here for Seeley." He smiled. "Why aren't you up front with his mother and grandfather?"

"Well, I figure he needs his family right now." Sweets said before looking down at the ground. "Plus... I mean, I have been gone so long- We only knew each other for a few years- he might not remember me. It's been thirty years, that's a long time gone..." Sweets bit his lip as his stomach stirred again. Gordon Gordon rolled his eyes, pulling the younger man into a quick hug.

"You were taken to young, my boy, but I stayed with the team after. They celebrated your birthday and all of them visit your grave frequently, at least they did up till ten years ago when I got booted."

"He's here." Sweets said, looking on as Booth tumbled into the room. Sweets smiled and felt his body fill with joy as he saw Booth again. He was old, and Sweets was happy for him. He got to live a long life, longer then his. Booth first hugged his soldier friend before moving onto his mother and Pops. Pops started to mock Booth, in the way only Pops can and that made Sweets laugh a little louder then he had intended. Booths head whipped around, brown eyes wide with tears as soon as he saw the familiar figures on the sidelines. In a suit as always, hair curling gently and face happy and wonderful. Booth nearly fell down as the rush filled him, finally seeing the man after thirty years. "Booth!" Sweets gasped when the man stumbled and POOF, he was instantly at the mans side. "What's wrong?" Sweets said, gently as he supported the man so he could stand properly. "You're crying."

"Lance Sweets." Booth coughed, rubbing his eyes. "Its Lance Sweets, dammit!" His voice cracked with joy and an old hurt.

"I'm right here, Booth." Sweets said softly, bringing him into a hug.

"And here you thought he may have forgotten you." Gordon Gordon quipped, walking over.

"30 years, damn Sweets you look just like I remember you." Booth coughed, hugging him tightly.

"I-I know... I'm sorry for the way I left you. I had to do it, Booth, I had to! I didn't think you'd find me, and I'm sorry about that to, and he was going to kill me, Booth. I couldn't let him kill me- I couldn't, he would win! I couldn't let him win. Then all I would be was a common Murder victim. I'm just... I'm sorry I did that to you, I'm sorry. I'll spend the rest of my afterlife being sorry if I have to." Sweets whimpered into Booths chest, hugging him closer.

"Sweets, I...Bones said that even if you hadn't done...that you would've died slowly of internal bleeding." Booth looked pained as he said it. Knowing that no matter what he'd done he would've lost Sweets that day. "I understand what you did...he didn't win, you took control of the only thing you could."

"You found me only a little bit after... Maybe if I hadn't... Maybe..." Sweets tumbled over his words before giving up on the words and simply hugging Booth a little tighter. "I'm just sorry. So, so sorry."

"Its alright Sweets." Booth was hugging him tightly, head buried in his shoulder. "I missed you."

"I missed you to... It was so hard just watching... You did a good job with Christine. How old is her daughter now? Two, three?" Sweets asked, pulling away slightly as he regained his composure.

"Her daughter is six, dumbass." Booth cackled, pushing him away gently.

"Hey! You people are a lot to keep track of! There are so many of you and I can only watch one at a time. I was busy seeing if Michael Vincent would ever propose to that girlfriend of his. And Angela and Hodgins other son, the one born a two or three years after I died... Um, what's his name..." Sweets knit his brows together as he tried remember the name.

"Lance." Booth replied, grinning. "A little shit that one, but mama told him a story about a genius. A man who was to brilliant for his own good, who died to young but as the most honorable man she knew. He's a psychologist, imagine that."

"Don't tease me, Booth, it's not funny." Sweets gave him a look. "His name is Lance?"

"Yes, and he is a psychologist." Booth said with a deep sigh, "You're his idol. He researched and read like everything you wrote. Made Angela dig up that old book on me and Bones." The agents face softened as he smiled at the still young spirit. "He thinks you were an amazing doctor."

"Aw, that's... Sweet. And really flattering." Sweets chuckled. "Lance Hodgins, PhD... Has a ring to it." Sweets grinned at Booth. "I'm his idol? Little ol' me? That's awesome."

"He thinks you were one of the most gifted profilers 'in like ever, he was awesome!' And that's a quote." Booth smiled at Sweets, ruffling his hair. "We missed you so much, kid."

"I missed you to... Though, I'll admit, I was a tidbit worried you might not remember me... I have been gone so long..." Sweets rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish look.

"I could never forget you. The annoying genius Lance Sweets. The babies...after you...they kept asking for uncle sweets. It hurt like hell for the longest time."

"Those poor kids..." Sweets frowned, looking at the ground. "I'm sorry I thought you might forget me, it's seems really stupid now that I thought..."

"They understood...eventually. Lance almost cried from happiness when his mom told him she knew . He found some old paper of yours and was hooked." Booth smiled at the thought, shaking his head. "We'd never forget you."

"He figure out he was named after Dr. Sweets?" Sweets chuckled with a shake if the head. "How do Angela and Hodgins expect to move on from their losses when they name their kids after them?"

"They don't want to." Booth said with a broken look within his eyes. "They said they never wanted to forget you. They wanted to think of you everyday we all did."

"You only knew me a few years..." Sweets said before sucking in a breath and smiling smally. "Thank you, for remembering, it means a lot."

"It felt way longer then a few years, Sweets. We loved you, you were family." Booth said with a crooked smile.

"I'm really sorry I doubted that for even a second..." Sweets looked to the side, feeling shame rush over him and effectively soak his being. Booth swooped the man into another hug, mumbling something about Bones being a hugger in their old age.

"Its fine, I understand. Its just...so good to see you."

"It's good to see you to, old man." Sweets chuckled with a shake of his head before ruffling Booths hair. "Vincent Nijjel Murray is up here, if you want to see him. I should be getting back to my parents soon. They get bored." Sweets smiled lightly. Booth laughed, shaking his head.

"The English Intern! Actually...I wanted to apologize to him."

"Right..." Sweets nodded. "I can take you to him, if these fine folks wouldn't mind that." He looked over to Pops and Booths mom.

"Go right ahead kiddo!" Booths mom smiled, "I was gonna play some cards with your mama anyways."

"Great, we can all head over together!" Sweets smiled and started to lead Booth away, Booth mother close behind them.

"Hello, baby! Is that your friend?" Sweets mother grinned from her yard, where she was sitting with Vincent and his mother.

"Yes, Booth this is my mom." Sweets said with a smile, motioning to the agent.

"Nice to meet you, mam." Booth smiled."your son was a wonderful friend."

"Of course he is." She cooed and pinched Sweets cheek. "He's my precious baby."

"Honey, don't embarrass Lance!" Sweets father laughed as he walked outside.

"Too late." Sweets blushed profusely. Sweets' father held up a pitcher of lemonade.

"I've got some drinks. Wonderful to meet the famous Agent Booth."

"Famous, am I?" Booth gave Sweets a side ways grin.

"I may have talked about you a little." Sweets shrugged sheepishly. "I'm going to get some snacks." Sweets jogged into the home.

"Nice to meet you all. Hello, British Squint." Booth grinned at Vincent.

"Agent Booth!" Vincent smiled, nodding at the older man. "Did you know that lemons can actually help heal chapped lips? That's not really a problem up here, but still interesting."

"Mhm." Booth nodded, not caring much for the fact. "Hey, why does Sweets glow like that?"

"Like what?"

"He glows all blue and stuff, you guys don't." Booth clarified.

"Oh!" Vincent laughed, "we've gotten so used to it I guess we stopped noticing."

"Yeah, well do you know why he glows like that?" Booth asked again.

"Well... He did take his own life Booth, he was upset when he died, he had list a lot if his hope along with some of his sanity. He is better some days then others but he can be pretty sad some days." Vincent said, sipping his tea.

"Sanity?" Booth choked, rubbing his face.

"He...some days he won't speak or move. He stares...at his headstone, he even goes and sits down on earth. Watching people be sad and he just gets worse, wishing he could help, wishing he hadn't done what he did." His mother took a deep breath, clutching her cup to her chest. "He...is haunted, more then almost any spirit around here. Like a soldier who died in war."

"Oh..." Booth croaked worriedly.

"I brought sandwichs!" Sweets smiled as he brought out a tray of finger sandwichs before stopping and noticing the dreary mood. "Woah, what's wrong?"

"Uhm..." Vincent turned red, chewing his lip. He flinched a bit, setting the cup down and pushing a hand to his chest. "Ah..." He croaked, pressing on the wound. Sweets dropped the plate to the table and rushed to his recently acquired best 'mate' and sighed.

"Okay what's got you worked up?"

"Agent Booth... Um, he- he, um, inquired about your... Glow." Vincent croaked, taking a deep breath.

"Well my glow is none of his business." Sweets scowled slightly with a huff. Vincent croaked, leaning forward and clutching his chest. To his side Booth's eyes were wide, horrified with images dancing behind the iris. Shattered glass and his love crying beside him. A bloodied chest heaving under his hands and intelligent, innocent blue eyes pleading up at him. Slowly the lights going out and the chest stilling, the erratic thumping beneath the rib cage slowing to a halt and one last gasp.

"I'm sorry..." The agent whispered, tears in his eyes.

"Its okay, Agent Booth." Vincent croaked, understanding Booths meaning.

"This happens sometimes with Vincent when he gets worked up." Sweets sighed, giving Booth a look of sympathy.

"Oh...wow." Booth mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.

"It happens with me to. It's common on spirits who died traumatically." Sweets said, rubbing Vincent's back. "Mind telling me WHY you were asking about my glow?"

"Well no one else glows." Booth said like it should be obvious. "It was an anomaly. Bones hated those."

"My glow isn't your business." Sweets huffed irritably. "I gotta go do something." And then POOF Sweets was gone.

"Woah! Where'd he go?" Booth gasped.

"To pout." His father sighed.

"I think I know where he went..." Sweets mother sighed, shaking her head.

"Where?"

"Well, you died in your sleep, Agent Booth. It's about morning time on earth... Your wife should be waking up..." She bit her lip. Booth's face paled immediately and he groaned.

"Bones..." He mumbled, falling against a wall. "Gah!"

"That sounds like somewhere Lance would go." Sweets dad sighed with a shake of the head. "Who's going to go fetch him?" Booth looked around the group. Vincent was taking deep breaths, tipping his head back and pushing away tears. His mother and pops were having a hushed conversation to the side, and both Sweets' parents looked overly stressed.

"Show me how." Booth said, summoning the best commanding voice he had.

"Oh, Agent Booth, are you sure? I don't think that's something you want to see..." Sweets mother said gently but Booth nodded his head.

"I'll go get him." Booth insisted, "Show he how."

"Just focus on where you want to go and you'll go there." She said with a sigh.

"I'll be fine." Booth assured, giving a winning smile. "And so will Sweets."

"Go." She nodded and Booth closed his eyes and focused. He heard a WOOSH sound and felt a breeze before opening his eyes. He saw Sweets, floating over Brennan and Booth's bed. Brennan was still sleeping, but she was starting to stir.

"She'll be conscious in 20 seconds." Booth said, "she'll open her eyes 30 to 40 seconds after that, and she'll register my passing in...maybe one minute. If she attempts revival." Sweets cocked an eyebrow, looking at his old friend. "We've been married 30 years." He shrugged, "I memorized everything about her. Everyday. If something new happened I got that to. She loved to fall asleep listening to me ramble off her habits and why she did them. Said she felt cared for."

"That's sweets that you know that..." Sweets said, vioce small and almost broken. "Doesn't help her much now. If I hadn't done what I did, I could help her with this."

"Sweets, she's Bones." Booth shrugged, "She can get through this."

"Maybe." Sweets grunted, crossing his arms over his chest tightly as Brennan yawned and stretched herself out. "She's waking up, you should go. You don't want to see this, trust me, Booth."

"I can't leave without you." Booth said, eyeing his body with distaste. "Is that really what my hair looks like from the back!" He groaned, touching the back of his head.

"Leave, Booth, it's not going to be pretty, you don't want to see this!" Sweets snapped, yanking him away from his body. "I want to be alone, I don't want to be bothered. Just let me do my thing."

"You're dead!" Booth said, "we're both dead, Sweets, neither of us can do a damn thing! She knew I'd be gone soon, she told me. I was basically on Hopis at home, waiting for my lungs to give or maybe my heart! She knows its coming, and yes she'll mourn and be upset but she's Bones! And a ghost, psychologist or not, can't help anyone especially not Bones."

"I know that! Don't you think I know that!? It kills me that I can't help her, especially since I killed myself! If I hadn't done what I did I could help her! We can blame Havist all we want but... It's my fault, so leave me. She waking up and I don't want you to see this."

"What the hell happened?" Booth said, standing at parade rest in front of a photo Sweets couldn't see. "Even before...you were sick, TBI, I remember. And you acted strange. You're still acting strange. Rude. Nothing like yourself. 30 years I tried to figure our what the hell made you act like such a jackass, why you kept avoiding us. Angela said stress, Cam said brain injury, Bones said both. Hodgins said you were just acting like a jerk, then he cried. First time he cried after you died was in my office after he ranted." The agent whirled around, looking confused and terrorized. "Why? What did we do to you, Sweets?" Then booth was gone in a flash, the stress transporting him. He was still a new spirit. Sweets' eyes went to the photo on the wall, an old one. Hodgins and Angela hugging with Michael on Hodgins' shoulders. Cam and Arastoo grinning, subtly touching. Sweets recalled them being married now. Booth and Brennan holding Christine in both their arms, and Sweets next to them, raising a soda can at the photographer. Other photos were around it, Christine graduating and her marrying Michael Vincent. Booths son and his wife, all the children. Cases solved. Dozens of varying sizes of photos, but in the center of it all was the last picture of all of them together.

"I'm sorry." Sweets mumbled quietly, touching the photo with his goustly hand. He knew he would have to talk to Booth, try to explain.

"Mmmmm... Good morning, Booth." He heard Brennan's sleepy voice sound and he heard the sounds of her moving to wrap her arms around Booth, unaware of his passing. He turned around and saw her eyes open, startled. "Booth?" Panic in her voice, she was sitting up. Checking vitals, her face crumpling and her voice cracking. "Oh Booth..." It was a whisper as she reached for her phone, typing in a number. "Dr. House yes...Booth died. ...in his sleep...based on body temp around midnight. I understand. Yes an ambulance would be nice...thank you doctor." Sweets went and sat on the bed by Brennan.

"Dr. Brennan..." Sweets said, going to touch her shoulder, only to have it go through her. His heart sank even though he knew it would happen.

"Booth..." Brennan whispered hoarsely, tears in her eyes as she leaned down and kissing Booths forehead.

"Dr. Brennan!" Sweets shouted, tears raising in his eyes, even though he knew he couldn't hear her. She took a deep breath, batting tears away as she pushed a key on the phone. Sweets heard a happy:

"Hello Ma, what's up?" It was a man, Michael Vincent. A pained smile crossed the anthropologists face.

"Hello Michael, can I...talk to Christine?"

"Sure ma...uhm, you alright?"

"No, but I've gotta talk to Christine." There was a sharp breath from the other end, understanding.

"Hello, mom, what wrong?" Sweets heard Christine's voice. He smiled sadly, she was so grown up. They both were. Christine had been stubborn like her mother and like her mother her child was in her wedding photos.

"Christine... It's your father, he..."

"No... Don't say it." Christine's voice cracked through the phone.

"I assume you've deduced it. I've got to make calls...Michael seems to understand." Brennan took a breath, "Come by later today?"

"Okay, Mom, I'll come over when Joy wakes up. Bye." Christine hung up the phone and Brennan sighed, rubbing at her eyes. Sweets wanted to help her so badly, it hurt. His body was starting to ache and sting with pain. Suddenly Booth reappeared.

"Finally!" He huffed, glad he finally found his way back before looking over at the the bed and frowning.

"Did she call Mikey and Christine?" Booth asked, unaware of his young friends pain. "Angela's next."

"Okay." Sweets grunted, grinding his teeth together in pain. " you should go." It came out as a squeak.

"Why?" Booth asked, eyebrows drawn.

"It's not pretty, Booth, plus I- damn it." Sweets hissed and wrapped his arms around himself in pain and groaned as the pain worsened. Booth jumped closer.

"Sweets, we need to get you back."

"I'm fine, Booth, it's just a little pain." Sweets grunted, taking and painful and shuddery breath before whining.

"We're leaving Sweets, Bones is gonna be fine." The agent cast a sorrowful, loving gaze at his widow. "She's always fine. Let's check on Hodgins, he's been sick." Sweets grunted painfully but nodded and grabbed onto Booths arm tightly.

"Let's go.." He whimpered through gritted teeth. Booth nodded and in a flash they were inside of Angela and Hodgins' home, the woman curled up in a ball of tears in her pale husbands arms.

"She's heard." Booth said.

"Yeah... What's wrong with Hodgins? You said he was sick?" Sweets asked as the pain lessened and he loosened his grip on the other spirit. He gazed sadly onto the couple and tilted his head at Hodgins pale complexion.

"Yeah, something about lung cancer he inhaled something nasty from a mummy a few years back." Booth sighed, shaking his head.

"And Cam's sick to, right? A heart condition?" Sweets gave Booth a questioning look.

"Yeah, she had a heart attack a few years back. Her and Hodgins are competing for next one in the ground." Booth looked over the upset and weeping couple in the bed. Hodgins softly murmured sweets nothings in Angela's ear with his now hoarse and almost gruff voice.

"Wow..." Sweets sighed, shaking his head in dismay. "You are all getting old." He half teased.

"Shut up, let go home, I'm sure your tired." Booth gave Sweets a half smile and Sweets nodded begrudgingly. Two spirits teleported away.

A year passed, and things were becoming routine for Booth, including Sweets'... Mood swings. The two never did talk about Booths little outburst but they did enjoy watching the others. Christine had gotten pregnant with a son, and Booth had cried. Then, one day, they had gotten their letters. Cam had died of a heart attack and was going to going them soon. They thought it would be Hodgins that would be joining them first but his cancer had briefly gone into remission, buying him more time.

Booth, Sweets, and Vincent went to her waiting room, finding two people who they assumed were her parents already there.

"Hello." Booth smiled at them, and they responded with matching, loving grins.

"Hey there, Seeley! You here to greet Camile?" The man asked, smile still present.

"Yes sir, I am." Booth smiled back.

"You were always my favorite boyfriend of Camiles." He chuckled and Sweets smiled and stepped back towards the back to let them get reacquainted.

"Or that Arastoo fella isn't bad." Her mother said, "their wedding was beautiful.

"It was." Booth chuckled, his grin growing.

"Well it takes a big man to not only be friends with there ex, but go to there wedding." Her father chuckled, patting Booths back.

"Here she comes." Vincent said, pionting at the opposite wall as it started to glow. Everyone turned towards the glow, but Sweets and Vincent fell back a little to let her parents and Booth greet her. Vincent flashed a worried smile at his friend, tilting his head in question. Sweets shook his head in response, shrugging and rubbing his wrists, which burned under his cuffs. Soon Cams figure walked elegantly into the room from the light.

"Mom, Dad." She smiled at her parents and gave them each a hug.

"Nice to see you, sweetie." Her father smiled.

"Hey, Camile, how ya feeling?" Booth grinned and she hugged him tightly.

"Better then I have in years." She laughed before opening her eyes to see Vincent and Sweets, Vincent waved at her and Sweets gave her a smile.

"Mr. Vincent Nigel Murray!" She said, looking at the Brit with a professional smile. Then her eyes went to Sweets and the smile turned to a grin as she looked him over. "Doctor Lance Sweets! Oh...do you remember me?" She asked, though she looked poised to jump and hug him.

"Of course I remember you. How could I forget?" Sweets gave her a bigger smile, feeling his wrists stop burning as a warm feeling washed over him. "I've been waiting for you for awhile."

"Yeah...almost forty years now, huh?" Can smiled, pulling the young man into a hug. "I missed you so much. I'm so sorry, I should've...seen the TBI sooner, should've pushed the team harder, i should've done something."

"No no, hey, no. NO. It's not your fault. It's not your fault at ALL." He hugged her tightly. "You know that, Cam. My official cause if death was blood loss from the self inflicted cut on my arm. I commited suicide and that's not your fault. It's mine." He gave her a tight squeeze.

"You had a TBI if I'd seen it sooner you may never have thought that was your only option...the injury..." She sighed, hugging him tightly.

"No, it was an emotional choice, I thought you guys weren't doing to find me. I... I couldn't let Havist win... The only way he would lose was if he didn't kill me! I couldn't let him win- I couldn't. It was my choice, and I can tell you that I thought it out... Very thoroughly. Or as thoroughly as one who is slowly bleeding to death can. It's not your fault." He said, looking her deeply in the eyes. Cam took a slow breath, years worth of guilty tears finally staining her unfairly perfect cheeks.

"I wish we had more time. As a family. We took it for granted until..."

"I know..." Sweets hugged her again. "So did I, I didn't trust enough and I'll always be sorry for that." Sweets said, his voice breaking before he let go of Cam and disturbingly calm smile broke out on Sweets face. "Speaking of family, how about we all head over to my place? My parents are coming over and we are having lunch." Cam blinked and nodded, sending a worried look to Booth while Sweets grinned at the group.

"Yeah I'd love to! Ma, pa?" She asked, turning to her teary eyed parents.

"Sure, sweetie." Her father nodded, whipping at his eyes.

"Great!" Sweets grinned and poofed away.

"What was up with that whole... Thing?" Cam gestured to the spot where Sweets was. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No...its just." Booth waved his hands, looking to Vincent for help. The younger spirit stepped forward, smiling goofily.

"You see some spirits die of natural causes like you and Agent Booth. Others die of unnatural causes, but they did quickly. Like me. Lance-excuse me- doctor sweets died slowly of unnatural causes and it was a traumatic death. He didn't die in a happy setting and he'd lost all his hope and a great deal of sanity. He's gained some of the latter back, but if you die feeling lost and alone it takes a great deal to fix you. I think, perhaps, the entire Jeffersonian team and agent booth together may be what can fix Lance-doctor sweets- as best as we can hope for." The Brit took a large gulp of air after his explanation, looking almost blue in the face.

"Right..." Cam blinked, staring at the Brit and nodding. "So... We are just supposed to go to his house and... Have lunch with him and his parents? Like nothing's even wrong?" She asked, tone slowly shifting to disbelief.

"That's what we have to do." Vincent half shrugged. "He's been my best friend for 40 years now, its become routine."

"It's best not to question it and just... Be there for him." Booth said, shrugging.

"Well then we better get going, huh?" She sighed, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

Vincent nodded. "Concentrate on Lance and you should just...go there."

"Right..." She sucked in a breath and shut her eyes, then she felt a WHOOSH and she stumbled. When she opened her eyes, she saw Sweets smiling at her.

"That was good transportation for a new spirit." He chuckled. She flushed, nodding.

"Fast learner." The new spirit shrugged, smiling as she saw Sweets' parents and Gordon Gordon talking to Booth. "Got a whole Gang up here."

"Yeah." Sweets chuckled before tilting his head. "Wanna meet my parents? They are gonna love you!"

"It'd be a pleasure." Cam smiled, holding her hand out to Sweets mother then father to shake. "Camile Soryean."

Sweet father shook the hand with a smile and then Sweets mother hugged her.

"It's always nice to meet Lance's friends, except when he went through phase..." She looked to the side.

"Mom!"

"He and his friends would go out to these 'rock concerts' and they would wear black and this face paint-"

"MOM!"

"Oh it was dreadful, music shaking the windows and ear drums." His mom flutter her hands and sighed.

"Mom, you're embarrassing me!" Sweets whined, a blush dusting over his goustly cheeks. His mother hugged him with one arm, ruffling his hair.

"He was a good boy. Golden in the long run, even with his loud music." She teased, squeezing her boy again.

"It's getting worse." Lance hung his head a little, trying to cover the blush. "You like embarrassing me, don't you?"

"I have to admit its a little fun." His mother shrugged with a wry grin.

"Mean." He smiled and hugged her slightly. "Why don't you and Dad go talk to Booth and his grandfather?"

"Fine, dear, I'll leave you to talk to your little friend." She kissed his cheek and the pair walked off.

"They're nice." Cam chuckled, smiling at Sweets.

"They're wonderful." Sweets replied, smiling at his old friend. "So tell me how was the rest of your life? I got snippets, the wedding was beautiful, but other then that?"

"Fine. Arastoo was wonderful, Michelle got married and she has a little boy now." Cam smiled at Sweets.

"Oh my gosh that's fantastic!" Sweets chuckled, flashing a grin at her.

"She's a wonderful woman." Can said with a sadness hidden in her voice.

"She is going to be okay, Cam." Sweets gave her a soft smile and sat a hand on her shoulder.

"Can I...see her?" The doctor asked looking at sweets.

"Close your eyes, and invision her, and you should see what she's doing." Sweets said with a nod. Cam nodded, shutting her eyes to imagine her daughter. After a great deal of concentration an image filled the darkness. Michelle was in the arms of her husband, crying softly into his shoulder. He cooed softly at her and rubbed her back. A small boy, about six years old, walked up and tugged on her pants and she let go of her husband and picked her son up before holding the child close. Cam opened her eyes back up and felt them start to water.

"She's so sad..." Cam hugged Sweets and Sweets looked surprised at the action, but hugged her back. Sweets rubbed her back, hugging her closely.

"She misses you, it'll be alright."

"But-"

"But nothing, I knew her once and I can tell you, she is a strong woman. She can make it through this, because you taught her well. She'll be okay, I promise." Sweets looked into Cams eyes deeply with his own, giving her a small smile.

"I'll be able to see her right?" Cam asked in a small voice.

"Alright." She nodded, sitting in a lawn chair.

It didn't take much longer got Hodgins letter to arrive. He died two years after Cam, which didn't feel like that long to the spirits. Soon, thy were, Cam, Vincent, Booth and Sweets, walking into his waiting room, where two young people were already there. Sweets figured it was Hodgins parents. The man was stern, with a sharp suit but fondness in the depths of his oceanic eyes. He held the hand of a smiling woman with erratic curly blonde hair that was tied into a Loo's ponytail that went to her waist. A dress covered her thin body, flowing and happy with its oink flowers. They looked to be the exact opposites of each other. The woman was the first to notice their arrival.

"Dear, Jacks friends are here. Hello, I'm Stacy, you must be Jacks friends." She smiled t the group and gave them all short, slightly awkward greeting hugs before giving her husband a sharp look. "Greg, don't be rude, say hello." Greg nodded at the group, flashing a brittle smile. Stacy sighed deeply through her nose and fluttered a hand, turning back to the group. "The man may be a genius but he has no concept if human interaction."

"Clearly." Booth chuckled. "I'm-"

"Agent Booth, right?" Stacy smiled, pionting a finger before looking at the others "Cam." She pointed at Cam. "And your... That Brit that they named their first after." She pointed at Vincent. "So you must be Lance!" She smiled at Sweets. "It's nice to meet you all, we've been watching Jack and... I know you were all dear to him." They all beamed at the kind blonde, looking as the wall shimmered with the scientists entrance.

"Oh here he comes!" The woman beamed, taking a hold of her husbands hand and turning towards the wall as Hodgins tumbled in.

"Hello, son." The man smiled at Jack and he smiled back.

"Mom, Dad." He chuckled, walking up and hugging them both. "I've missed you so much. And I'm sorry about the Cantilever group-"

"Oh you shush, it's fine, Jack." His mother smiled softly.

"B-but... You and dad built it from the ground up and it's just-"

"You did what was right, son, we are proud if you. Plus that hot sauce business you and that hick started did extremely well." His father said and Stacy elbowed him at his last sentence. Hodgins beamed like a little boy, even though he was much older then both of his parents and his mother ruffled the graying curls.

"Cam!" Jack said, peeking around his parents. "Booth? Oh, been a while man." He smiled at both of them, walking up and wrapping Cam's small frame in a loving hug. He 'man-hugged' booth, before finding Sweets and Vincent hiding behind them. "I'll be, Vincent Nigel Murray and Lance Sweets! Been a few decades, can't believe you actually showed up for an old grouch like me."

"Hello to you to." Sweets rolled his eyes before hugging him. "How do you and Angela expect move on from your loses when you name your children after them?" He chuckled as he let go of the man. "First Vincent, then me, seriously, man." Hodgins shrugged, smiling.

"Lance was over the moon when he found out who he was named after."

"So I've heard." Sweets chuckled before hugging Hodgins again. "I really missed you."

"I missed you so damn much." Hodgins said, pulling sweets in for a bruising hug.

"Emotions are difficult for him." Cam shrugged, sighing.

"That's ironic." Hodgins said, watching as Vincent and Booth had an interesting, mimed argument until Vincent poofed away also.

"Yeah, well there is an explanation, but it's a long one." Booth sighed.

"Cliffnotes?"

"He nuts, bonkers, crazy. He is as haunted as a goust town." Cam said, waving a hand. Hodgins blinked, turning to Booth for help.

"The way he died was so messed up he just...never recovered. Vince thinks we should have an intervention when Bones and Angela show up."

"Sounds like a plan. Where did you think he went?" Hodgins asked, looking around.

"He's either at his place, or his parents place or he is on earth, watching someone, probably Angela." Hodgins sighed.

"Angela..." Hodgins sighed, pinching his nose.

"My advice is to leave him alone. Sweets will come back in a few hours, days, the longest he has ever been away is two weeks." Booth sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "And don't worry about Angela, she's a strong woman." Hodgins nodded, giving the best smile he could manage.

"She's gonna be okay, man." Booth said, patting his back and giving him a sympathetic look.

"She told me when the doctor gave me tree months shed die of heartbreak." Hodgins gave a sad smile, "She's probably painting."

"Or she's with your sons." Booth chuckled. "Either way, she gonna be fine. She's a tough cookie."

"I'll bet you money shes painting with Michael while Lance psychoanalysis them." Hodgins smiled.

"I dunno, Lance was always an emotional little punk." Booth said with a chuckle, shaking his head.

"He tries to help. After Cam and you it did the standard how are you feeling questions until he cried."

"That's sounds like him." Booth chuckled, rolling his eyes. "Do you want to check on them?" Hodgins nodded mutely. "Here we go." Booth grabbed his hands and before he knew which way was up thy were in Angela's art studio. Angela and the boys were in the couch. Angela was crying and she had her arms rapped around Lance, who was crying as well. Michael Vincent had his arms rapped around the two and was trying to comfort them. Sweets was hovering above the family sadly. Hodgins covered his mouth, blinking away tears as he looked on spotting the beginnings of a painting. There was the outline of a face and graying blonde curls, two bright eyes and suddenly he realized it was him. they'd started painting him before...this.

"It's okay." Booth said, putting a hand on Hodgins shoulder. Sweets head snapped up.

"Hodgins? B-booth, wh-what are you doing here?" Sweets asked, floating over to the other spirits.

"Hodgins missed them." Booth said, looking at his family in law. Christine was walking in the door now, her children in tow.

"Dad, what's wrong with Uncle Lance and Grammy?" The oldest, Joy, said as she walked in. She was about twelve now. Their son, Joseph, crawled up into Michaels lap, he was maybe five.

"They just miss Paw Paw Jack, sweetheart."

"Excuse me." A southern vioce said and everyone turned and saw Finn standing there.

"Opie?" Hodgins whispered to himself.

"H-hey, Finn, what do ya want?" Angela sniffled, looking up.

"Well I hate ta interrupt, but Thirsten and I and had been talkin' about this for a spell... I was wonderin' if I could borrow Michael Vincent, we need ta talk about hot sauce." Michael looked at his mother and wife, smiling through tears before following the southerner outside.

"I'll be right back." He whispered to Christine, kissing her cheek. Angela took young Joseph and sat him in her lap. Lance sniffled and rubbed the tears from his eyes and looked over at Joy.

"How are you feeling?" He sniffled, sitting up as strait as he could to make a poor imitation of a shrink stance.

"Sad." Joy said, crawling towards her uncle. She curled up next to him. "I miss his jokes already."

"We all do, Joy, we all do." He said, patting her head.

"Some of them were really bad."

"We know."

"Uncle Lance?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you going to marry your girlfriend?" She asked innocently, looking up at him. "Paw Paw Jack teased you about a bunch of times." Lance blushed and started to sputter at the child's question.

"Joy." Angela hissed, but there was a smile on her lips.

"She asked me to marry her." Lance said, blushing and looking away from his family. "I uh...think I will."

"Oh my God, sweetie!" Angela squeed and hugged her son. "That's fantastic!"

"Go, little man." Hodgins chuckled, watching on. "It's about tricking time. They waited so long I thought it would never happen. Just like Lance to wait intill I'm dead to get engaged."

"Are you going to have babies?" Little Joseph asked from his grandmothers lap, looking at his uncle with big eyes. Lance turned red, his dark eyes wide as he looked to his mother for help. She just giggled. At this point all the spirits were laughing their goustly butts off.

"Look at his face!" Hodgins giggled at his younger child's embarrassment.

"Kids say the darnedest things, huh?" Booth cackled, slapping his knee. Sweets laughed and cast a knowing look at his younger namesake.

"Poor guy, probably squeaked when his lady asked him."

"You would have cute babies, Uncle Lance." Joy giggled, grinning at her Uncle.

"Can we not talk about this?" Lance blushed, twiddling his thumbs.

"Sweetie, have you given that sweet girl an answer yet?" Angela asked with a motherly brow raise.

"No... She gave me time to think because it was just today that she asked, and she asked like RIGHT before I told her about about Dad..." Lance rubbed the back of his neck.

"Lance Mamba Hodgins! You go and call that poor girl!" Angela said, smacking his shoulder over and over.

"Ow! What!? OW!"

"Call her and give her an answer!" Angela yelled, pushing him off the couch.

"What!?" He squeaked startled and on the ground.

"Hey-" Michael walked in before seeing his brother on the floor. "What did he do now?"

"I don't know!" Lance squawked, eyes wide.

"Leena proposed to him and he hasn't given her an answer." Angela said.

"Lance," Michael sighed. "Seriously?"

"I had just found my father died! What do you people want from me!?" Lance flailed out his arms and pouted slightly.

"You're family is better then cable." Booth snickered, nudging Hodgins.

"They are certainly something, or at least Lance is." Hodgins sighed.

"You're gonna say yes right?" Michael asked,raising an eyebrow. "You've been like obsessed with her since high school."

"I have not!" Lance blushed, crossing his arms.

"Yes you have!" Angela, Christine, and Michael said, all rolling their eyes.

"Whatever! But... Yeah... I wanna say yes." Lance looked down and bit his lip.

"Thank any mythical figure people believe in." Christine said dramatically.

"Or we can just thank God, because we discussed this, Dear-" Michael started with a sigh before Christine groaned.

"Right! Thank GOD," she said, almost sarcaticly. "That Lance is finally going marry his 'soul mate.' After dating her for six years."

"Your a lot like your mother, sweetie." Angela laughed at Christine before looking at Lance. "Now go call her! Go give her your answer before I break up with you."

"You can't break up with me tour my mom!"

"Try me." angela said with a sadistic grin and Lance flailed to his feet and pulled his cell phone out.

"Sweetie..." He said when she answered. "No, I'm fine... Well she just threatened to break up with me so I think she's going to be fine... Yeah, Michaels fine to- Sweetie! Sweetie... I wanted to talk to you about what you asked me earlier..." He said as he walked out of the art studio. Angela grinned, getting up and smiling at her family. Michael noticed something in her eyes and began leading his wife and children away.

"Michael...wait what are you-" Christians fading protests were all that filled the silence before Angela's choked sob. She stood up and with wet eyes and shaking hands picked up her brush.

She let the colors finish themselves and soon enough Hodgins' face filled the white canvas. She filled in the background with greens and blues that made his eyes sparkle. The smirk on his face was self satisfied but loving, and the wrinkles on his face spoke of many momenta of laughter.

After the longest few moments Angela let the brush clatter to the floor as she pressed paint stained hands to her face. Her cheeks were red and covered in salted tears. "Hey baby..." She croaked to the painting, gray and brown strands of hair falling into her face. "Lance has done it. He's finally marrying her." She whispered, delicate fingers gliding over her work. Hodgins went and stood by her and put an arm around her, even though she couldn't feel it.

"I know, babe..." He said, tears in his eyes. "It's about time to..." Angela smiled at the painting unaware of her love beside her. She took a deep breath and sighed.

"I tried to understand Brennan when Booth past...I was there while she cried, and she cried a lot. Shed mumbled about emotions and phoned Lance every few days because she needed a Sweets as she said..." The artist took a breath. "I need a Sweets now, baby..."

Off to the side the spirit in question choked.

"Not again." Booth groaned as he saw the broke look spread against Sweets face. Sweets let out a tearful wail before disappearing. "SWEETS!" Booth shouted, poofing away.

"I'm not sure how much good he would do, babe." Hodgins chuckled sadly to his wife, shaking his head.

"I know Brennan says the afterlife doesn't exist but..." She sighed and Hodgins turned to see Cam appear giving him the 'Problem. Come now.' Look followed by a pained smile when she saw Angela.

"I hope it does because I want...to see you and Cam and Booth and...and Sweets again, someday." Then she brushed the tears away, hearing a tentative knock at the door. she turned to smile at her sons, who both had tears in their eyes and her daughter in law who was crying in her husbands arms.

Hodgins left then, knowing his family could handle itself.

"What's wrong, Cam?" He asked as the two spirits reentered the spirit realm. "You had your problem face on."

"Sweets his having an attack." She replied and Hodgins nodded. Booth had informed him of these attacks right after he'd arrived, knowing one would show up.

Sweets attacks meant he was in pain, wrists probably bleeding while he sulked at the cemetery. They were scary as hell, sometimes sweets looked like a horror movie and if the light played right a few mourners wandering the area would catch sight and run screaming.

"Vincent can't even calm him down." Now that was a problem, Vincent and Sweets parents could always take care of these Booth had said. "Angela's heading to the cemetery to pick a place for you...and if she sees him I dunno I just..." The spirit pulled at her hair.

"What am I supposed to do?" Hodgins gapped, shrugging his shoulders dramaticly.

"Help us!" Cam grabbed his hand and off they went to the cemetery. Sweets was shaking and he was bleeding from his wrists and few other places. He was wailing and bleeding on the head stone he was sitting on, which was his own. His family and the friend currently in his world were crowded around him. Mumbling things and trying to calm him.

"Sweets." Hodgins said, crossing his arms. The psychologist looked up with vacant eyes and a pale face. Curls matted and dirty, clothes torn and bloody. Truly a horror movie.

"This is my fault. If I weren't so weak and pathetic and-"

"Shut up." Hodgins said, huffing. "Its not your fault. How could it be?"

"BECAUSE I KILLED MYSELF!" Sweets screeched, tears in his eyes. His face was blood red and his eyes were hurt. His breathing was ragged and painful. Sweets grit his teeth as his pain increased.

"Yeah." Hodgins nodded, "And I died of health failure." Sweets stared at him, confusion alight in his pained eyes.

"Hodgins really you shouldd't-" Cam tried but Jack just stepped forward and stared at the younger man.

"And if you would've made it out of there without cutting your wrists you would've died anyways." He ground out, an old pain filling his face. "I checked the autopsy for months, having experts check it, Cam, Brennan, I even brought it to Zach." Hodgins said, crossing his arms. "You just ended your suffering sooner."

"You can't know that! No one can know that!" Sweets hissed in a low, dangerous vioce, his empty eyes glaring. "Is that supposed to make me feel better? It doesn't. No one can know what would have happened if I didn't kill myself! No one! Even so, official cause of death is suicide! It is by definition MY fault! Even if you are right, I'd still be here, unable help anyone. Still haunted, useless, and I would be a murder victim, is that supposed to make me feel better!? It doesn't! Leave me alone." Sweets screwed his eyes shut as he was hit with another wave of pain.

"No its not supposed to make you feel better." Hodgins said. "We're all dead Sweets. We're all here watching our family's in pain and none of us can help. Its not just you. Vincent had to watch his mother find out he was shot by mistake. Booth had to watch the woman he made feel again fall apart from the wall, unable to help her. Cam had to watch the girl she saved from foster care fall apart, just put of her reach. I had to watch my entire family cry at my painting."

Sweets stared at Hodgins,unable yo react at first. "Yeah but-"

"No. No Sweets because in the end people due. Everyone everywhere dies and none of them can help the people still stuck on Earth, all of them want to but none of them can." Hodgins said with a raise of his eyebrows and a cross of his arms.

"You died young." Cam cut in, with a sigh. "But no one is to blame but that bastard Havist...who was shanked in prison for killing you, actually."

"I killed myself-"

"So did plenty of other people, are they all supposed to sit and torture themselves forever because they couldn't go on?" Cam responded, raising her eyebrows. Sweets sighed, shaking his head as the blood flow began to slow. Angela and her family could be heard approaching.

"Let's say hi to Great uncle sweets!" Joys voice broke out as she drug lance by the arm towards all of the spirits. Sweets wounds seemed to disappear and his clothes mended themselves and his hair returned to it's normal, curly self.

"Sweets, we need to go." Booth said and Sweets shook his head. "Sweets-"

"Let's not argue with him, Booth." Sweets mother said, shaking her head.

"He's calmed down now, Agent Booth, let's just let him be." Vincent said and Booth begrudgingly agreed and he and the other spirits poofed away, leaving Sweets alone. Lance and Joy battled towards his headstone and stopped there, the little girl grinning.

"You have the same name." She stated, smiling. "You and great uncle sweets are both Lance's!"

"Guys, come on, we gotta find Jacks spot!" Angela groaned, following her children.

"Why are there foot prints." Joy asked and her brother looked around, eyes landing on the spirits foot prints around the head stone.

"There aren't you sillies, come on." The group moved away then, but the youngest two stayed and smiled directly at sweets.

"Tell grampa jack hello." Joy said, taking her brothers hand as she led him away. He turned back to wave goodbye to the startled spirit.

"Good bye!" Sweets said, waving back, still minorly startled. The child smiled and turned back around, his sister leading him away. Sweets eventually poofed back home. The psychologist blinked at his worried family and friends, opened his mouth, closed it then sighed.

"Why are you in my home?" Sweets sighed, crossing his arms. "I'm not really in a company mood right now. Oh, Hodgins, Joy says hi."

"She what..." Hodgins says, blinking at Sweets.

"She told me to tell you hi, was I not clear?" Sweets snapped. "Get out of my house. I don't want company."

Everyone began to shuffle out, except Hodgins who was glaring.

"I said-"

"Shut up." Hodgins said, glaring. "All we do is try and help you and all you do is make us feel like the crap on the bottom of your shoes. Cam cries, Cam! She cries because she blames herself. Booth has been floundering for years and my god don't get me started on Vincent."

"Dammit Sweets, I don't care how much you blame yourself for this shit you have to stop. Your like some drug addict, taking out all this shit on us and hurting everyone. I'll tell you Brennan's gonna have none of it and when Angela gets here she may actually beat your ass for being so inconsiderate." Sweets blinked owlishly at his friend who seemed to be fond of lecturing him.

"Its time to start working this out, because if you make my afterlife hell I might drop kick you." With that Hodgins poofed away, leaving Sweets to stare. Sweets sighed and rubbed his eyes, feeling tried despite the the fact he was incapable of sleep as a spirit. He trudged into his bedroom and laid down, curling into a tight bawl. He didn't want to hurt his friends, he just wanted to be alone. Was that so wrong? He so so tired. He needed rest. He let his eyes close, even though sleep wouldn't come.

It was only a few years before Angela's letter arrived, telling of her passing. Lance had got married, and his wife had gotten pregnant but sadly Angela died before the child was born. The group went to her waiting room, though things were a little tense since Hodgins wasn't as tolerant of Sweets mood swings as the others. Angela's parents were already there, waiting for her arrival.

"Lances wife is having a girl." Hodgins whispered.

"If they're anything like you two they'll name her Angela." Booth said.

"Probably."

"Aren't you going to say hello to you in-laws?" Angela's father turned around and crossed his arms at Hodgins and the woman, Angela's mother, smiled and rolled her eyes at the man. Hodgins looked at the man and gulped.

"I ain't gonna hurt you, boy, now come here and give your ol' man a hug." He said opening his arms up and giving Hodgins a quick hug. "My little girl is going to be so happy to see you again."

"I'd sure hope so." Hodgins chuckled, smiling slightly.

"I dunno why but she is fond of you."

"Me either, man." Hodgins laughed before the wall began to glow, signaling her arrival.

Hodyins took a deep breath, turning just as his wife walked in.

"Hey, babe." He gave her a lopesided smile before she hugged him.

"Sweetie! I missed you so much." She smile down on him before giving him a kiss.

"Me to, babe." He laughed.

"Gonna say hello to your old man, baby girl?" Her father asked, opening his arms, and she dived into the hug.

"Missed you, baby girl, but for now you should go say hi to your friends." He nodded at the group standing to the side. Angela smiled at them.

"Hey, Angela." Booth smiled and Cam waved.

"Ello." Vincent grinned.

"Booth Cam!" She threw her arms around them both. They laughed and hugged her back, exchanging more greetings and I missed you's. Vincent smiled at the reunited friends and Sweets started to back up towards the shadowy corner of the room. Angela looked up suddenly. "Where's is he?" She asked Hodgins, who pointed toward the retreating figure. "SWEETS!"

"Uh... Hi?" Sweets blushed, waving a hand. Angela practically pounced.

"Sweets!"

"Angela!" Sweets stammered, putting his arms out and letting her hug him. "Your excited..." Sweets stammered, eyes wide as he slowly hugged her back.

"I've missed the hell out of you." She replied, squeezing him and grinning.

"Awe, you flatter me, but I'm not the handful of years we knew each other warrants this much hugging." Sweets joked with a chuckle, not letting go.

"Yes it does shut up." She mumbled into his shoulder.

"We knew each other for like six years, and you hated me for over half of them." Sweets laughed, shaking his head and hugging her tighter.

"Shut up" she mumbled, pulling him closer. "I love you."

"If you say so." Sweets teased, still holding onto her, chuckling.

"I love you." She whispered again, hugging him tighter. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for, though the fact that you have hugged me more then you have hugged the love of your life since you been here is a bit concerning." He smiled. She laughed, and let him go.

"Probably." Then she turned to Hodgins who smiled before she jumped on him.

"Well I gotta go, mom and dad are going to bored if I'm gone much longer." Sweets chuckled softly and sheepishly.

"Hodgins will bring me to see you." Angela said before kissing her husband, "later."

"Good, look forward to it. Plus, my mom is going to love you." Sweets laughed before poofing away. Booth nodded at Angela, smiling.

"How was she?" He asked softly, and Angela gave him a warm smile, patting his arm.

"She's Brennan."

"I knew it." Booth murmured to himself.

"Ello, Angela." Vincent hugged her and smiled before looking at Booth. "Are we going to warn her about Sweets or are we going to wait intill he gets into one of his moods?" Booth slapped his forehead. "What?" Vincent asked, blinking confusedly.

"You just told her." Hodgins clarified, patting his troubled wife's back.

"What's wrong with Sweets?" Angela asked, her face concerned and troubled.

"I hate explaining this." Sighed Vincent, "See sweets suffers from depression, mood swings, spontaneous evaporating, and accidental haunting."

"But he seemed so happy..." Angela clasped her hands together. "Poor baby."

"He has happy times." Hodgins replied.

"Have you tried talking to him or did you just lecture him?" She put her hands on her hips. Hodgins mumbled something and walked to Angela's father to talk. "Thought so..." She sighed. "I want to talk to him." Angela stomped her foot resolutely. "I want to help him."

"That's...rather the plan." Vincent said sheepishly, sighing. "Nearly fourty years I've been dealing with it. If I could get gray hairs I would have them."

"I wanna help!" She huffed, stomping a foot. "He's my friend and I wanna help."

"We all do, Angela." Booth replied, shaking his head.

"Now, I wanna talk to him now! Where is he?" She demanded.

"Checking on Brennan and your kids probably. He's taken to Lance." Cam mumbled.

"How do I get to him?" She asked, looking around at the group for answers. Booth sighed and stepped towards her.

"Relax. Deep breath then think about Sweets and wanting to see him. Just concentrate on Sweets."

"Okay... Okay." She sighed and closer her eyes. Next thing she knew, she was next to Sweets, who was watching Lance.

"Hello." Sweets sighed, feeling her presence.

"Baby, sweetie! Please lay down!" Lance pleaded with his very pregnant wife.

"You are going to go pick up your mothers body with your brother, I'm going with you." She said sternly.

"Babe, you're nine months pregnant! Your two days late! You could pop at any moment! You should be in bed!" Lance whined, flailing an arm at the bed.

"I love...loved Angela I'm not going to-hmph." She pushed herself onto her legs with a groan. "I'm going with and I'm making sure she's wearing lacy underwear because she told me to."

"Ew!" Lance fake gagged. "Regardless, you need to rest! We don't want to you to go into labor." Lance put a hand on her shoulder. She sighed deeply, leveling her eyes on her husband and speaking slowly.

"I am going. Her bodies in a hospital right so worse comes to worse we're prepared."

"Baby..." Lance sigh, putting his forehead on hers. "Please stay? Pretty please? The doctor put you on bed rest. So please?"

"No."

"That poor girl is so going to go into labor." Angela giggled.

"Totally." Sweets laughed.

"Please?" Lance tried again.

"No." She said before wincing and putting a hand on her belly.

"What was that?" Lance blinked at his wife.

"It's nothing, dear, let's go." She said, walking away while he looked astonished.

"Your crazy." He sighed, following with a little smile. "My crazy."

"And so it begins." Angela laughed.

"That poor girl." Sweets laughed. "Lance sure has his hands full."

"He's a good boy, he'll be able to work it all out." Angela smiled, shaking her head. Turning to Sweets she put on her 'I need to talk to you face' (which over fourty years hadn't changed) and the spirit groaned. "So I hear you're a little out of it?"

"Maybe... I don't want to talk about it." Sweets glanced to the side. "Can't we just watch Lance? The face he makes when her water breaks is going to be pretty halarious."

"Sweets..." Angela sighed, "I just want to know whats going on."

"It's not important, Angela. I'll be fine, really." He gave her his best smile.

"Don't play me. It might have been fourty years but you are still one of my closest friends."

"I'll be fine, Angela, please let's not have this fight now. Let's watch Lance flounder about." Sweets pleaded one last time.

"Its not a fight its a talk." Angela said, raising her eyebrow.

"Yes but it will be, Hodgins told me you would kick my ass." Sweets sighed.

"Eventually." Angela teased gently, bumping his shoulder. "For now I want to talk."

"I don't want to upset you ." Sweets bit his lip and looked shamefully at the ground.

"Sweets I want to help you." Angela said, turning towards him and gripping his arms. "You helped me...even after you were gone I heard your voice telling me when I was an idiot. Telling me to cry and talk. I want to help you now because you've always helped me."

"Thank you, Angela." Sweets mumbled, giving her a hug. "I wanna talk, I'm just not sure how to start."

"Just talk." She smiled softly.

"I'm sorry." He began, taking a deep breath. "I just... Wish that I hadn't done what I did. If I hadn't, maybe I'd still be alive. Helping people. I hate being so... Useless and worthless snuck here. And I'm so sorry I left you like that." Sweets rapped his arms around her in a hug, tears in his eyes.

"Its alright sweetie." She whispered, hugging him close. "I mean at first I was angry at you but then Brennan showed me the logic behind it all. You never stopped helping me. I'd read your book or papers, I even hacked your computer to help when Hodgin's started breaking things and Brennan folded back into her logic."

"Angela- wait, you hacked my computer!?" Sweets blinked owlishly at the woman. "How would that help them?"

"You kept notes." Angela smiled, shrugging. "Search history all of that...it gave me an understanding of how you worked. That's what computers show, how someone thought what they found how they found it. I thought like you and I helped him and myself."

"I guess that... Almost made sense." Sweets smiled lightly, shaking his head. "Well... I'm still really sorry. I shouldn't have... Done what I did."

"Yes and Hodgins shouldn't have eaten so much fried foods."

"Your point is?" Sweets raised a brow at her.

"Everybody makes fatal mistakes." she sighed, floating toward the wall. "We were all angry at first, and sad. Slowly we began to forgive you and remember what it was like with you around, that's when it really started to hurt." She ran her fingers over an image framed on the wall. Sweets came closer to look at it, finding a picture of himself on a hospital bed. Christine curled up beside him, Michael asleep on his chest. Angela, young and devastating sat beside him, asleep but holding his hand.

With a start the spirit realised that was the last picture of him. He looked happy, asleep and content in the grainy pixels of a cell phone camera.

"I know... But... This is different. I should have... Have trusted you more. You were... My family and I just gave up on you, like a coward." Sweets rapped his arms around himself protectively. Angela tilted her head, letting her hand fall back to her side as she looked at the picture.

"See here, yours holding Michael with one arm, and my hand with the other. Subconsciously you were leaning towards me as best as you could, curling around Christine to protect her."

"Angela..."

"No and look at your face. Your smiling, you stopped when one of us pulled away. Do you get it? Deep down you did love us, so much that even in a coma you showed it. Hodgins pointed it out."

"I do love you... I just wish I hadn't done so... So... So STUPID. I shouldn't have done that to you." Sweets said, looking at the ground again.

"Oh sweetie." Angela sighed, pulling him close and hugging him. "You couldn't let that bastard win. It was logical, in the end. I understood, we all did..." She brushed his hair through her fingers, and distantly he noted she smelled like she always did. Flowers and paint, also a little like sugar. "Eventually. You have to forgive yourself and we can all build something here. Our family, together."

"I'm trying to, but... But I really screwed up this time." Sweets mumbled sadly, digging his face into her shoulder. "I missed you so much. I shouldn't have done it. I could have lived, I don't care what Hodgins says."

"Its okay. We're all dead now." Angela lightly teased, squeezing him and fighting back tears. "And we have all the time in the world."

"Not everyone, we are still waiting on Brennan." Sweets said before bitting his lip. "Speaking of her...please don't get mad at me... She was... Never really my biggest fan. She didn't like me much and I sorta drove her crazy. So... When she passes... Do... Do think she'll remember me?" Angela looked shocked as she looked eyed him. She sighed when realizing he wasn't kidding, and hugged him again.

"Oh sweety she loved you." Angela whispered. "Every month shed visit you, talk to your gave after explaining it was pointless...but that she and to, to talk to you."

"It's been a long time." Sweets whispered. "I wouldn't blame her if she did forget."

"She still goes. She went a week before I bit it."

"Yes Sweets, of course she does. We all did."

"Wow... Uh... Why?" Sweets looked at her, puzzled.

"Because..." She sighed, graving his arms and shaking him gently. "We love you."

"Well yeah but... You only knew me like six years. I don't think I deserve that much love, given how I left you guys like that."

"God stop saying that." Angela sighed, pressing a hand to her heart. She took a few deep breaths she lifted her head. "We loved you we never stopped no matter what happened. Six years was our life time together."

"I know, but it was so short..." Sweets bit his lip and looked at ground. "I wish we had done more stuff together."

"So do I..." Angela agreed, taking a deep breath. "But its what we got and I'm thankful."

"We... Should probably follow Lance, we would want to miss anything." Swees said, signaling he was done talking. Angela looked him over for a while, raising her eyebrows in the 'this really isn't over' look and nodded.

"Alright..."

"Thanks." Sweets said before floating off." Angela sighed, but followed to find her son. After a second they found them, bickering about wether or not a baby bag was nessary.

"We don't need to bring one, I'm not in labor!" Leena groaned.

"Yes but you will be." Lance was flailing, bouncing on his feet like his father used to.

"I'm fine, sweetie." She said before whincing again and holding her belly.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, I'm fine." She groaned through her teeth.

"Lies. We are getting you to doctor wilder."

"Lance-"

"Or I'll call Christine."

"Babe, calm down. I'll be fine I just- OH!" She let out a long groan and a puddle of water started to collect at her feet.

"Labour!" Lance yelled, pionting at her.

"Mighty deduction there Holmes!" She ground out, leaning over and taking a deep breath.

"Sorry! You're in labour! Oh God, what do I do!?" Lance pulled at his hair with wide eyes.

"Get the car!" She yelled, clutching her belly.

"Right... Where are the keys!?" Lance started run around, looking for the keys frantically. Leena groaned and waddled over towards the door, picking up the baby bag and getting the keys off the hook.

"Babe!" She yelled, jingling the keys.

"Right yes yeah..." Lance yelped, unaware of the spirits laughing from the corner.

"Just like his father." Angela smiled.

"Yeah." Sweets laughed a the couple fled the house, the spirits floating after them, following them to the car. The couple sat in the car.

"Do you need anything?" Lance asked her awkwardly. She grabbed his collar and pulled his face towards hers.

"Drive!"

Lance swallowed, nodding and blinking.

"Poor guy." Sweets laughed in the backseat.

"He is handling it better then I thought he would." Angela laughed beside him.

"So once we get to the hospital I'll go get the others?" Sweets asked.

"Hodgins will be trampling down here soon." Angela replied, but nodded anyways.

"She's in labour!" Hodgins yelled, poofing next to them.

"Speak of the devil." Sweets laughed. "Yeah, she is. Did you come to watch the comedy act?" Sweets jabbed his thumb at the couple up front. Lance was flailing again, waving around and confused.

"Poor kid." Hodgins laughed, shaking his head.

"Just like breath and-"

"The road Lance, the road!"

"Right!" Lance squeaked, looking back at the road. Leena held her belly and screamed, making Lance scream to.

"He's so ridiculous." Angela smiled fondly and watched her boy panic with tears in her eyes.

"He is... And he's all grown up." Hodgins kissed her cheek.

"Do you remember when he was born, how you nearly crashed the car?" She laughed.

"I remember. You were no help. All screaming and in labour."

"Oh, well pardon me." She rolled her eyes.

"Babe, I know your sorta busy but can you get my phone?" Lance asked and Leena nodded and picked up the phone. "Dial Michael. Please. Then hold it to my ear." He said and she obeyed. "Hey, Michael? Looked, um, I'm gonna be late... Uh... Leena is in labor." A shout could be heard across the line and lance flinched, and mumbled a few yes's. "No no... You have to get Moms body to the- yes that is more important! Look, if you do it fast enough you can still make it on time! No no no! You go and take care of Mom and- don't get Christine!" Lance groaned into the phone. Leena almost laughed but it turned into a pained groan. "No no Michael please- Not Temperance! No I refuse to pull her out of her home for this- Christine doesn't need to...I am not panicking! I am not!" He squeaked again. "J-just get to the deliver room when your done with Moms body, okay!? Bye!...love you to." Lance mumbled, pulling his head away as his wife ended the call.

"That's our boy." Hodgins laughed.

"If I hadn't died, do you think I would have children?" Sweets asked suddenly. Hodgins and Angela turned to him, glancing at each other.

"Well yeah." Hodgins finally said, looking a little confused. "You're nice, funny, smart, well off, and not bad looking." Angela blinked at her husband, mouth tilting in a little smile.

"Do think I'd be a good dad?" Sweets asked, biting his lip.

"Yes of course Sweetie." Angela said softly turning towards him.

"You sure? I mean my biological parents were... Well she was a carny and who the hell know who he is." Sweets frowned and roiled his eyes. "Parenting isn't really in the blood."

"Yes but you were raised wonderfully." Angela smiled, resting her hand on his arm. "You learned from them."

"I guess you sorta have a point..." Sweets smiled slightly. "Would they like me?"

"They'd adore you. They'd run around saying my daddy's an FBI doctor." Angela continued, smiling with tears in her eyes.

"You think so?" Sweets asked before looking at her. "Whoah, why are you crying?"

"I missed you." Angela mumbles, pulling him into a hug.

"I missed you to." Sweets hugged her back and paused. "Do you think my kids would be cute?"

"Adorable." Angela smiled, looking him over. "Big brown eyes for sure."

"You think so?" Sweets gave her a grin.

"And a dimple." Angela giggled.

"And they would be good kids, right?" Sweets smiled.

"Yeah but overly helpful and probably annoyingly smart." Hodgin's said from the side, smiling at Sweets. "But good, very good."

"Oh ha ha." Sweets drawled.

"What's with all the questions?" Angela asked, tilting her head.

"Oh, this whole..." Sweets gestured at Leena, who was having another contraction. "Just had me thinking is all."

"Oh..." Angela nodded, leaving a peaceful moment of silence before Lance started mumbling and stuttering.

"I think he's going to have a conniption." Sweets laughed, looking over at Lance.

"Leena knows how to prevent his panic attacks." Angela smiled at the couple as Leena tried to sooth her husband between contraction.

"Lance has panic attacks?" Sweets quirked a brow.

Angela shrugged raising her hand to hold two fingers a small space apart.

"Tiny ones, and only when he's really stressed. The last one was planning Hodgins funeral, and before that his college entrance exams."

"Well that stresses everyone out." Sweets smiled. "At least this time he gets a beautiful baby girl out of it." Angela nodded, smiling and looking towards her son who was whipping into the hospital parking lot like a bat out of hell.

"How has he not gotten a ticket?" Sweets laughed.

"Because, cops recognize three types of bad driving. The drunk, the reckless and stupid, and the 'we are having a baby so get the fuck out of the way.'" Angela smiled. Sweets laughed warmly at that, floating after the couple as they walked inside, well leena wobbled and Lance bounced inside.

"Okay, we are here. We are going to have a baby. Just remember to breath-"

"Shut up, Lance." Leena groaned through a contraction.

"Okay, um..." Lance walked up to the front desk. "Um... We need a room, we are having a baby- well SHE is having a baby, I'm her husband. And the father... Um... Can we get that room?" The nurse laughed, nodding.

"The nervous ones make the best men." She said to leena who smiled at the woman as another nurse took her arm to lead her away.

"Who wants to bet she breaks his hand during labor?" Hodgins laughed.

"If he even goes in." Angela teased, watching her son bounce on his feet.

"He will." Hodgins laughed, shaking his head. He was right, Lance did go into the room, but only when he was invited in. With in one hour, they had guests.

"Christine!" Leena smiled tiredly as the woman walked in.

"Hello. I brought mom." Christine glanced over at the door as Brennan walked in. The first thing Brennan did was bonk Lance on his head with her cane, which she had to use for the last year. The spirits laughed.

"Ouch! Why?" Lance whined at her.

"You should've called me in the first place!"

"I didn't want to bother you!" Lance squeaked, rubbing his head.

"I am an old lady, I dont have anything to do."

"Your best friend died, I thought you would want some alone time."

"If I missed this your mother would never speak to me again if she were alive." She said, walking over to Leena. "How are you, Leena?" She asked the woman. Leena held up her thumb, nodding as she winced.

"It's going to be okay." Christine smiled at the woman.

"I don't know how I'll get her out, by the look of the ultra sounds, she has her fathers fat head!" Leena groaned, another contraction hitting.

"Excuse me!" Lance squeaked, flushing.

"It's just labor talk, Lance." Christine chuckled.

"Labor talk is hurtful..." Lance pouted.

"Suck it up, buttercup. It's your fault we are in this situation." Leena hissed painfully. Lance balked and muttered something as he slouched in his chair. "'Come on, baby, have another glass of wine!' He says." Leena grumbled and Christine laughed. Leena flinched, biting on a scream as a contraction over took her. Christine checked her watch, counting silently under her breath at the same time as her mother.

"You okay, babe?" Lance asked, peeking over at her.

"Closer...together." She gritted out, leaning forward. "Doctor. Lance, get the doctor! "

"Right!" Lance said, scrambling off to get the doctor.

"He is so much like his dad." Angela giggled.

"I don't flail that much!" Hodgins argued, waving an arm then glaring at the appendage as if it were to blame.

"My point: made!" Angela chuckled, a smirk on her features.

"You're before ridiculous." Sweets laughed.

"It's okay, sweetie." Christine held Leena's hand.

"I'm sorry, about Angela, Brennan." Leena looked up at the woman. "I'm sorta- Ahhhh!- stealing the light away from her passing."

"It's okay, Leena, I think Angela would think of this as supernatural. One life leaves, another arrives?"

"I didn't think you believed in any of that, mom?"

"I...Well I understand my friends need to see a light at the end of life now that I'm getting older." Christine was about to correct her mother, she had a habit of it lately. Trying to will away her passing, like her father would have. "I'm not dying anytime soon, so let's think about it another time." Brennans point was made by a shout coming from Leena as the doctors rushed in. Lance was behind them, looking pale and distraught.

"Okay, Mrs. Hodgins, let's check you out." The doctor said before prepping Leena and checking her dailation. "Eight centimeters. She should be giving birth soon. How are you related to Mrs. Hodgins?" The doctor asked the two women.

"Sister in law." Christine said, the doctors eyes moved to Brennan.

"Aunt. Well I'm her mother in laws best friend, but she just died so I came."

"Okay, I'm sorry but I'll need you to go soon." The doctor said. "You can come back in when she gives birth, don't worry. Shes having a fast labor so it won't be long."

"We will be right back." Christine patted Leena's shoulder softly. Brennan hobbled out after her daughter, smiling at Lance. The almost father gave a shaky smile in return, still pale.

"Lance..." Leena whimpered softly, gritting her teeth and Lance scrambled over.

"Yes dear?" He croaked.

"I need you to calm down and take my hand." She said before groaning. Lance nodded jerkily, giving her a shaky, clammy hand which she nearly broke in a grip.

"I'm going to get Cam and Booth." Sweets smiled before disappearing. After a few minute he returned with the others.

"Little Leena is in labor?" Booth asked before looking at the expecting couple. "Oh wow."

"He's shaking worse then during his exams." Cam said, sighing fondly at them.

"I think he's going to faint." Hodgins laughed, shaking his head.

"Oh I'd bet on that!" Booth grinned.

"How much?" Hodgins asked, turning towards his old friend.

"I bet a ham sandwich that he faints before the baby crowns." Booth grinned.

"Your on." Hodgins grinned, ignoring the disbelieving looks from the others.

"You're both gross." Angela said, but a smile was in her voice.

"We are men." Hodgins said.

"You are gross men."

"Yeah, your betting on the miracle of life, that's uncool." Sweets said.

"Deep breaths!" Leena hissed at a very pale, tipsy looking Lance.

"Wha-?" Lance blinked at her, swaying slightly.

"Breath, Lance!" Leena groaned, squeezing his hand.

"Wh-what... Right. Right." Lance said, his breathing regulating.

"We can do this, babe!" Leena moaned.

"We can... We can." Lance said, rubbing her hand and fore arm. "You can do this."

"I want to talk about the baby's name."

"What? Oh- uh, okay..."

"I want to name her Angela!" Leena ground out, another contraction hitting. "I think your mom would like it. Lose an Angela, gain an Angela."

"I..I'd love it." Lance nodded, smiling a little at his wife. "Mom would to, she'd find it poetic." His wife then noticed the tears pricking in his eyes, and it was decided.

Angela squeezed her husbands hand, cheeks wet as she watched her son. "Yeah baby," she whispered. "I do love it."

"She's at nine centimeters!" The doctors said as another contraction slammed Leena.

"Oh God!" Leena screamed, squeezing Lance's hand.

"You know, Leena is sorta like you in a weird way." Hodgins laughed.

"Lance has good taste." Angela shrugged, grinning at her husband.

Lance nearly toppled over from the pain in his hand as his wife screamed. He felt like fainting, he really did but then his fathers 'c'mon boy!' Face lit up his brain.

"Ten centimeters, the baby is crowning it's time to push!" The doctor said and Lance nodded before patting Leena's hand.

"Let's do this thing." He breathed. "Push, babe!"

"Ahhhh!" Leena screamed, squeezing lances hand so tight he screamed.

This pattern continued intill after several agonizing minutes and swear words, little Angela was finally born, crying and screaming.

"She beautiful!" Lance cried, rubbing Leena's arm as she relaxed.

"Gorgeous." Leena whispered as she leaned backwards.

"Our Lance is a daddy." Angela whispered, tears in her eyes as she leaned into Hodgins. Her husband pulled her close, smiling at the couple.

"She's beautiful." Cam smiled. "Congrats, guys." She smiled at the spirit couple. "Come look." Cam gestured from her position by the child. The others came near, Angela with her hands pressed to her face as she smiled at the baby.

"Precious." Hodgins said as he looked down at the baby. "Absolutely precious."

"Wow... Little Lance made that?" Booth laughed as the child was brought over to her mother.

"It's sorta unbelievable." Angela laughed.

"She's adorable..." Sweets smiled, brushing a goustly hand against the babies cheek and his eerie blue glow breifly flickered and went out before coming back. Angela blinked at the group, Cam looked startled and Booth had a flicker of hope in his face.

"Yeah..." Hodgins finally mumbled when Sweets started looking confused.

"What the..." Sweets blinked at his hand. "Did... Did that just happen?

"Yeah. It really did." Booth nodded slowly, smiling.

"Why... I don't understand... What..." Sweets mumbled to himself, inspecting his self. Cam shook her head, turning to Angela who shrugged with a smile.

"Maybe...Maybe we're helping?" Cam ventured unsurely, staring at the youngest of the group.

"Maybe... Maybe that's it... I'm not sure." Sweets mumbled, his brows drawn.

"I'm just glad he's getting better." Booth smiled.

"Thanks." Sweets smiled and the group turned back to the couple and the new baby.

"Here, Lance, hold her." Leena smiled tiredly at her husband. Lance nodded, his head bobbing like a puppet on strings as he took the baby with tired arms and a red hand.

"Hey Angela…" He whispered to his daughter, whose big blue eyes seemed trained on something just to his left. "Whatcha see there Angel?" He whispered to the new baby. The baby cooed softly in response.

"He is going to be rapped around her little finger." Sweets laughed, peering at the little girl blinked back at the spirit, almost as if she could see him.

"Hey... Look at him." Sweets pointed at Lance's head. The baby just blinked at the spirit again with big blue eyes.

"Okay." Sweets laughed, backing away and out of the baby's eye sight, his glow breifly flickering again. The spirit looked down at his hand, turning it over slowly and lifted his eyes back to the baby. Little Angela seemed to have caught sight of her grandparents, blinking at them now.

"Look at your daddy, sweetie!" Angela laughed at Little Angela, waving at her.

"She won't look at me..." Lance murmured, looking to his wife, concerned.

"Maybe she sees her grandma."

"What if she doesn't like me?"

"Oh you hush. She loves you. Now give her over, I have to feed her." Leena stretched her arms out towards the childLance relinquished his baby, smiling at her. and Lance handed her over. Leena fumbled to get the baby to latch on, but she eventually got Little Angela to suckle. It was then that Christine and Brennan entered with Michael, who had just arrived. Lance looked at Michael and then to his wife, who had a breast out to feed Little Angela, and blushed and stood infront of her to block Michaels sight. Christine glanced at her husband, sharing a private smile.

"What did you name her?" Brennan asked in a gentle voice, smiling at Lance.

"We named her Angela..." He hestitated, looking back his wife, who nodded. "Angela Temperance." He smiled at Brennan. The woman blinked at her daughter then back to her nephew, blue eyes tearing as she smiled.

"A beautiful name."

"Thanks... Mom always said if she had a daughter, she would give her the middle name Temperance, after you, but she never had a daughter so we thought..." Lance shrugged sheepishly. Brennan nodded, hobbling over to the baby and smiling.

"Angela Temperance." Angela said, pressing her hands to her chest and smiling tearfully. "It's beautiful, absolutely gorgeous."

"He's a good boy." Hodgins laughed. "Makes good choices. He gonna be a good dad to that baby. He certainly is good at picking names." Hodgins pecked Angela on the check.

"Maybe we should leave... Looks like they are going to be okay." Sweets smiled, his glow briefly flickering again, looking over to the group that had gathered around the baby as she had stopped eating. Little Angela blinked around her aunt, looking directly at the group of spirits. Sweets smiled gently at the tiny baby, already knowing she would grow up to be brilliant like her namesakes.

"You have been named after two of the most amazing women that have ever lived, Angela." Sweets whispered, "You'll learn about Cam, know about what a strong feminist she was, also about your grandfather and Booth. Their crazy crime stories and beautiful lives, you'll learn about where you came from and you will be wonderful." The baby blinked in response, but something of a smile was dancing in her bright new eyes.

"You got that right." Booth grinned, patting Sweets on the shoulder. "Let's split, I think we are distracting little Angela." Booth and Hodgins, along with Cam all shimmered and were gone but Angela stayed just behind Sweets smiling at her family.

"She'll learn about you to." Angela said, motioning towards her son. "You're his idol, everything he wants to be. He study you from first records until last hour, every account and all the biographies written about you. He knows more about you then you do. She'll hear all your stories, about how you were 'like a superhero, hurt when he was so young but he came back like wham! Blew everyone away like a total genius. Then he fought all the bad guys from behind the scenes, sitting in his office like batman. Until he was finally beat by a mastermind, and went down with glory, honor and bravery. Like the coolest dude ever'' That's how Lance explained you, all the time he'd say that. Doctor Sweets the superhero, he saved mommy and daddy's relationship. He saved everyone."

"While the presence of hero worship in your son worries me, that is extremely flattering." Sweets laughed, his glow briefly flicking out before returning. "That's something nice to hear, granted I don't think I'm a hero..." Sweets looked down at the floor, biting his lip.

"You're one of my hero's, you always have been." Angela said, looking genuinely confused. "You helped every one of us, remembering what you would've said and done after you...left is what kept the family going. You saved us all at least once."

"If I'm such a hero, how come I went out like a coward? That's one thing I don't understand, wasn't Lance... Disappointed when he found out that I killed myself? That his hero was... A zero?"

"At first we just told him you died on the job, but he's a smart boy. He knew that wasn't exactly right." Angela sighed, rubbing her arm. "After a bit of research he came back to us, and stared us down at ten and read the entire article he found. When he was done, i was nearly crying and Hodgins looked...broken, but Lance didn't stop there, see, he decided to write his own article on you. It was for extra credit in Language Arts. His article stated the facts of course, but then he added his own thoughts just at the end." Angela smiled at her boy, who was nearly in tears with his wife and sleeping baby. "He said you died like a real hero. Not a happy ending, even though you deserved one. Some people might think it was a bit not good, but he thought it was the last honorable option you had. In your mind, and he brought this up himself, blew away all his teachers, you had no choice. Havist was coming back, and if Booth tried to save you he would be injured, or killed. So instead of letting the bad guy take your life, and your name with him you took your own life, dying on your own terms."

"Lance thought it was the bravest thing he'd ever heard." Angela finished, blinking back tears at the memory.

"That's... Sweet." Sweets smiled, tears in his own eyes. "But I certainly don't feel like a hero. It's a beautiful thought, it really is."

"And another thing to remember, you are going to be her hero to." Angela waved a hand at the now sleeping Little Angela, who was being scooped into Brennan's arms. Sweets tilted his head, smiling faintly at the child. The glow encasing his body seemed to dim, not growing to it's original light even after a few moments.

"He talks about me that much?"

"You're like...All he ever wanted to be." angela whispered, taking Sweets' hand gently. "He cried when he found out you never got married, saying someone like you should've had everything in the world."

"I wish I had gotten married..." Sweets said, his tone almost whistful. "I could have married Daisy, if I weren't so set on not going to the Maluku Islands. Sometimes I think I should have gone with her, eloped, maybe even have a baby when we were state-side. Man, if she was pregnant at the same time as Dr. Brennan." Sweets laughed, shaking his head. Angela gave a chuckle at that, but shook her head.

"You two...grew away from each other, I think even if you went to the islands you would've came to the same conclusion. "She said, giving him a lopsided smile. Sweets shook his head.

"We grew apart because I didn't go. After she broke my heart like that, I could never love her like I did before so we grew apart, it didn't work out... But it could have. She was wonderful to me, the first girl who ever loved me like that." Sweets smiled, looking at the ground. Angela nodded, ruffling his hair.

"Come on. We've got to go." Angela looked at her family again "they'll be okay."

"They will. And that's is one lucky baby." Sweets laughed and Angela nodded before shimmering and disappearing from the room.

It took a long while before Brennan joined them. She lived to be 97 years old and died of old age. The group walked over to her waiting room, where her parents were already waiting.

Booth gave a long suffering smile to her father, who threw his arms open in greeting. "Agent Booth, son!"

"Hey, Max." Booth smiled, walking up. "Christine." Booth reached out a hand to her mother. Christine smiled at him appraisingly, taking his hand in a firm hand grip.

"I see you brought the whole gang." Max smiled, looking over to the group with a wave. Max's eyes landed on sweets and his face broke into a larger grin. "Even the shrinky dink! How are ya boy?"

"I'm fine." Sweets rubbed the back off his neck sheepishly. "Still a little blue." He joked lamely, gesturing to his glow.

Suddenly, another figure tumbled into the room. It was Russ.

"Did I miss it? Is she here already?" Russ gasped, looking around. Booth laughed deeply at his brother in law.

"She's not here yet, breath."

"Okay." He gasped.

"Nice entrance." Angela snickered, shaking her head at the man. The group started to banter on, but Sweets just watched on, smiling. After a bit he started to back up towards the dark corner of the room. Despite insurance from Angela, he was nervous that Brennan had forgotten him. Plus, she didn't need him in the way of Booth and her parents and brother.

"Why do you always hide back here?" Suddenly came Hodgins' voice from right behind him. "I don't want to be rude. Just curious."

"Hodgins!" Sweets hissed, jumping slightly. "You- I- I don't ALWAYS hide back here. Only sometimes. I'm just nervious is all." Sweets huffed, putting a hand to his own chest. "What the heck are YOU doing back here?"

"Uhm...looking for you." Hodgins said, causing Sweets to com an eyebrow. With a sigh the older spirit continued. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay..." Sweets sighed, not sure what he was apologizing for. "You should go... She's coming..." Sweets smiled at the glowing wall. "She'll want to see you."

"No, I have to-" Hodgins waved his hands when his words left him, staring at Sweets' helplessly. "She'll gut me if I don't. I'm sorry I was a big jerk face and didn't know how to help you and got all rude and stuff when what you needed was a friend." Hodgins pulled in a breath, eyeing the wall nervously. He knew he'd miss her entrance if he didn't go beside his wife, but he had to try and fix it. "I should've listened and cared and not been an angry Russian."

"Okay." Sweets said, eyes a little wide. "It's okay, man, I understand and I'm sorry to."

"For what?"

"This." Sweets said, shoving Hodgins into the light, next to his wife so they could greet their friend together. Hodgins, before slipping away grabbed Sweets' wrist and hauled him along.

"Double sorry."

"Hodgins!" Sweets hissed in a whiny voice but he was then shushed as Brennan stepped into the room. She smiled as she saw her parents.

"Mom, Dad." She smiled and went up and hugged him. Russ wrapped his arms around his sister and parents, chuckling slightly. The new spirit then spotted her late husband and her grin was near blinding as she practically jumped on him. Booth wrapped her in his arms, tears in his eyes.

"Happy tears." He whispered into her hair, which still smelled like rose blossoms like the last time he'd held her.

"I know." She mumbled, her own tears staining her face.

"Oh... And Bones?"

"Yes, Booth?"

"I was right." Booth whispered into her hair. "There are souls, an afterlife."

"I've never been so happy to be wrong." She laughed, wiping her tears on his shoulder. Booth squeezed her again, feeling blessed to be able to hold his love in his arms. Angela was tearing up in the back, their love story had always been something shed enjoyed witnessing.

"Why can't you be that sweet?" She sniffles at her husband, sacking his arm. He made a noise of offense, putting his hands up.

"I'm sweet! I'm super sweet!"

"Angela!" Brennan laughed, hearing her friends voice and smiling at her before going over and hugging her as well.

"I knew Arrostu (screw spelling) should have come with me, he'd love to see this." Cam smiled, tilting her head as Brennan gave Hodgins a quick hug before hugging Angela again. Brennan then turned to Cam and held out her hand, smiling and looking as if she wished to hug her old friend. Cam shook her hand, smiling back at her. Then the new spirit turned and saw Sweets and her face transformed into shocked disbelief.

"Doctor Sweets..."

"You... You remember?" Sweets mumbled, looking up at her and shuffling his feet. Sweets bit his lip, looking like a guilty puppy. Brennan's face broke into something of a forgotten smile as she moved forward. Pulling the boy she'd watched grow up, witnessed fall in love, let escape her care, into her arms. The broken man she let go those many years ago, the one she'd never thought she could see again.

"Of course I do." She whispered, feeling like she was hugging a memory from long ago. The way she held him, like her little brother that ran away from home finally found.

"It's been so long..." He whispered, slowly rapping his arms around her and drawing her closer to himself. "Angela always told me that you would remember. Seems foolish to ever believe otherwise now. I... I missed you." He smiled into her hair and his glow flickered slightly.

"I'd never forget you." She said, her tone deep with something adjectives lacked. "Lance Sweets...the bravest Psychologist the world would ever know."

"You flatter." Sweets chuckled, shaking his head. "I'm not all that brave. I... I'm sorry, y'know, about... How I left you. It's was... Uncool of me."

"I've long forgiven you." She whispered pulling away to look at him. "You're just as a remember." Sweets blushed, looking to the floor. He felt the stares of his friends around him, and a warm, familiar feeling of family coiling around his heart. Vincent flashed in, landing on wobbly legs and breathing heavily.

"So sorry!" The Brit squeaked, "I got...caught up." Sweets couldn't help but smile at his best friend, the feeling growing as his glow flickered. "Lance!" Vincent yelped when he saw.

"Hi, Vincent, you're a little late." Sweets smiled and gestured to Brennan, who smiled at Vincent.

"Mr. Vincent Nijjel Murray! You're here to? Wonderful! I have missed you and Dr. Sweets greatly. You both look just the same as I remember."

"Well when you die, as my research as showed, your face and body look just as they did except you have perfect health." Vincent rattled off and a smile flitted over Brennans face.

"Just as I remember to.."

"Yes.. Sorry, I do ramble a bit still." Vincent smiled sheepishly. "I couldnt help but notice the flickering there, Lance." Sweets blushed but gave a beaming smile to his friend, the glow dimming yet.

"Y-yeah..its been..getting better." Sweets shrugged, and Vincent returned the smile with a matching bright one of his own.

"Clearly, I don't think I've ever seen you flicker this much, chap." Vincent smiled.

"He is flickering more then when Little Angela's was born." Angela laughed, shaking her head.

"Flickering...that's good? Am I helping?" She blinked at the group, looking innocently confused just as she used to. Sweets' heart lurched at the memories, the glow flickering to a fading shadow around him. It was still obvious but the hope and love he'd lost in his last moments of life seemed to be returning to him.

"This is brilliant." Vincent finally grinned, surprising his friend with a hug that made sweets stumble before he slowly returned it.

"I am confused!" Brennan said, holding out her hands.

"Yes, sweetie, you are helping! The flickering is good... It's complicated. When people die in horrible ways, it effects them here in the afterlife. When his glow flickers... It's a good thing, because it means he is getting better. That he is regaining the hope and the... Love he lost when he died." Angela patted Brennan on the shoulder. Brennans eyes widened a bit before she narrowed them at her grinning exintern.

"Why does he not glow?"

"Oh! I did...for a while, but I've more then accepted my passing." Vincent said quickly, but Brennan looked skeptical.

"Plus, he went pretty quick, which helps." Sweets added with a shrug. "I didn't, it's different. Though, Vincent has been very helpful in my... Recovery." Sweets gave a grateful look to his best friend, who returned it with his signature smile.

"Enough with your girly moments." Booth said, though he looked very pleased with the way Sweets was recovering. "Let's show Bones around!"

"Wait, I was wondering... I am worried about Christine and..." Brennan bite her lip and looked down briefly. "I was wondering if we could check on them? Make sure they are all okay."

"Yeah, of course we can." Booth said, hugging his wife close with one arm. Brennan gave a smile up to him, looping her arms around his waist and relishing in the feeling of warmth she'd been without for so long.

"I'm sure she's fine." Sweets smiled. "But I would like to see them all to... So shall we?"

"I'll stay behind, if you don't mind. Me and my parents are going to play cards. I promised them, you see." Vincent smiled sheepishly.

"Me and your mother have things to do." Max shrugged at his daughter, who nodded with a roll of the eyes.

"Let's go." Angela smiled and the rest nodded. They all closed their eyes and then POOF. There they were.

"Michael, is it over? You called them?" Christine asked Michael and he nodded, taking his seat by her. They were both getting up in their years. "How did they take it?"

"Some better than others." He said, wrapping an arm around her. "They are all heading over."

"Lance is probably heart boken." Christine said, leaning against her husband. "Leena will be dragging him here. I know the kids are gonna be crushed." She said, thinking about her babies.

"Yes... But they will be fine. Joy's husband can't come, but she said she is bringing over little Molly."

"What about Joseph's little wife?" Christine asked, leaning into her husband.

"She's coming to."

"It'll be nice to see everyone." She smiled, rubbing at her eyes to keep from crying. Michael agreed silently, rubbing her arm.

"It's been a while.." He whispered, keeping the pointless small talk going. He knew this is how it worked, how people worked. Pretend it was just like any other day until someone broke.

"It has..." She nodded, snuggling up to him. They sat in silence for awhile intill...

"Oh my gosh, Christine, are you okay?" Leena flew into the room, her husband dragging his feet on the way in behind her. Angela Temperance, now in her late teens walked in behind him, her little brother LJ (Lance Junior) trotting in behind her, he is about twelve.

"I will be." Christine gave a little smile, getting up to hug her sister in law.

"I'm so sorry about this sweetie... About your mother." She said, hugging her while the children went and sat by Michael. Michael hugged his niece and nephew, kissing their heads even though Angela wrinkled her nose.

"Angela, don't make that face." Lance murmured, shuffling past Christine and Leena and over to his brother. Angela gave her father an apologetic smile and hugged her uncle back, mumbling an apology into his shoulder. She was about as good at dealing with feelings as her grandfather. Michael squeezed her back, rubbing a circle in his nieces back and sighing. Lance plopped himself down by Michael and sat his head on his shoulder.

"There there..." Michael smiled, patting Lances shoulder. Lance mumbled something unintelligible, and he'd deny it later, then curled up into his big brothers arm with his daughter.

"Sorry about him." Leena smiled at Christine.

"It's perfectly fine." Christine waved a dismissive hand. "Do you know when the others will be here?"

"No sorry.." Leena said, pushing her hands through her hair.

"Okay..." Christine nodded.

"Should we help them?" Leena asked, gesturing towards a wad of people curled up on the couch.

"How?" Christine sighed, watching her family. "They're sad...what can we do?"?"

"I don't know..." She shrugged.

"They are something." Sweets laughed, looking to the other spirits.

"I wish they were not so sad." Brennan sighed, staring at all the children she'd taken in as her family died.

"I know... So do I." Sweets nodded, biting his lip and looking to the ground. Brennan turned to him, blinking in confusion.

"You feel guilty over this?" Her voice was so perplexed it almost made the youngest spirit smile. "It's my death causing pain, shouldn't i be the one feeling guilty?"

"You shouldn't feel guilty. It's not your fault, or mine. I just wish I could help. Granted, I might dead by now anyway. It's just in my nature I guess." Sweets shrugged a shoulder.

"Dead? Perhaps but perhaps not." Brennan shrugged, looking at her family. "I agree. Your nature as always been that of a saviour. Mine always a scientist, Booths a protector, but you...You always helped. Even when you needed help you wanted others to be helped first...I always..I always respected that."

"I think saviour might be exaggerating a little." Sweets blushed as Angela wrapped an arm around him while Booth patted his head.

"I dunno kid, you were always a saint kind of guy to me." Booth said nonchalantly, but Sweets' glow flickered at the statement causing the exagent to smile.

"Nooo..." Sweets blushed, looking sheepish and swatting Booths shoulder slightly.

"Yeah you were always a good kid- I mean dude..uh man." Hodhins said, stammering off words as he blinked at his wife's offended glare. "Sir? Lord? What?!" Sweets laughed at that, leaning into Angela's grip and deciding to watch the couple bicker. Angela raised her eyebrows at her husband, flailing her hands a bit. "Mr? Uh...I'm back to man here...oh! Oh friend!" Angela smacked herself in the face, sighing. "You were though, Sweets, a good friend...always dependable and I could always talk to you."

"Thanks." Sweets smiled, his glow flickering.

"Jack is right, Sweets... You are a good friend." Angela smiled, squeezing his shoulder. Sweets turned to the other and Booth gave him a big smile with a thumbs up, Cam nodded sweetly and he already knew vincent thought so.

"You were one of my closest friends." Brennan stated like it was a fact that should've been known by the world.

"Thanks... You were family. To me at least." Sweets smile before looking to see as Joy walked in, totting her two year old Molly behind her, and up to Christine. Booth nudged his wife, who gave him a confused look while he flailed at Sweets.

"You were not family." Brennan stated, making Sweets turn. "Biologically speaking. In an emotional sense you were...more than family."

"Excuse me?" Sweets blinked at her owlishly. She shrugged, looking somewhat helpless.

"My feels towards you and the others," She motioned to the spirits around her. "Qualify as more than love for one's friends or family."

"That would worry me if it weren't so sweet." Sweets chuckled, his glow flickering again. Brennan tilted her head, squinting at the spirit before slowly smiling back. "Let's not forget who we are here for." Sweets said, watching as Christine lifted her granddaughter in air and hugged her.

"Great Grammy loved you..." Christine mumbled with tears in her eyes as she smiled.

"Your face is leaking, Grammy." Molly said, whipping away her tears with her tiny hands. Christine huffed a laugh, and Molly cocked her head smiling.

"Grammy is just sad, sweetie, why don't you cheer her up?" Joy smiled at her daughter. Molly grinned big and hugged Christine around her neck.

"It okay Grammy." Molly said, trying to whisper. "Great Grammy is here."

"That's a sweet thought, baby." Christine smiled at her granddaughter softly.

Meanwhile Brennan was blinking at her granddaughter who waved at them.

"No, she is here. With the others. Great Grampy Booth and Grandpa Michael's mommy and daddy. And Great Grampy Booths friend, Aunty Cam, and..." She looked at Sweets and furrowed her tiny brows. "A younger guy. They are over there." She smiled at the spirits and waved again. "Hi, Great Grammy!"

"She has a brilliant imagination" Leena smiled, unaware of her youngest intent stare in the same direction.

"They haven't told her who I am?" Sweets pouted, upset before seeing Lance Jr's stare as well. "Uh, hi?"

"Dr. Sweets?" Lance squeaked, eyes widening before he spun to his wife, who shrugged at him. "Th-the man...Molly is talking about I m-mean." He glanced at the spirits again, before giving a shaky smile to his wife. "Our kids know about him b-but she might not, so sh-she could be confused. M-maybe she s-saw an old picture?"

"I don't think so, baby." Leena smiled. "You want to tell her about her Great Uncle Sweets?" Lance was still staring intently at the space where the spirits were.

"How can he see us?" Brennan asked, blinking at her nephew.

"There is no way he can see us, he is too old. Molly and Lance Jr, yeah, but no way does Lance see us. He just sees that Jr and Molly are looking over here." Sweets said.

"He's staring though." Booth mumbled, eyeing the confused man. "Can older people see us if they're...I dunno innocent minded or something?"

"Well he has two kids, how innocent can he be?" Sweets asked before looking to Lance. "I'll settle this." Sweets waved his arms around. "Hey, dude, can you see us!?" The team waited patiently to see if the dazed man would speak.

"Maybe he can see us and not hear us?" Booth offered up. Lance blinked at them, glancing behind himself before giving a discrete wave. All the spirits froze then like deer in headlights.

"I think Lance sees us." Sweets whispered, looking like some sort of weird statue. Lance was still blinking at them, and Leena tapped his shoulder looking worried.

"Honey-"

"I have to...go yeah go now." Lance said quickly, kissing her cheek before rushing out the door. The spirits all shared a glance, a silent agreement to follow. They followed him out, concern on their faces.

"Lance?" Angela called out as they followed. Lance stiffened, turning around a corner before looking at them.

"You're dead!" He nearly shouted.

"Yes... We are. Just calm down, baby." Angela smiled as sweetly as she could.

"Deep breaths." Sweets added, putting his hands in his pockets. The man turned to the youngest spirit, eyes growing ever wider.

"Dr. Sweets."

"Yeah, that's me!" Sweets said, doing nervous jazz hands. Lance huffed a laugh, shaking his head as he paced the ally they were in.

"This is impossible. I've lost my mind."

"Or have been given a once in a lifetime opportunity?" Sweets offered.

"Yeah, I mean normally it's only kids that see us." Hodgins shrugged. "I suggest you take it while it lasts, son." Lance opened his mouth to reply but snapped it shut and pulled his fingers through his curly dark hair and continued pacing.

"Why me?"

"Because you're special." Angela smiled. "I always knew you were. But if you have anything to want to ask us or talk about, I suggest you do it before it whatever it is wears off. Dr. Sweets is here, now would be an awesome time to ask him whatever you want."

"I…" Lance pulled at his hair, but he'd stopped pacing. "Are you...Are you happy?" He finally said, eyeing the people he grew up with first, saving the questions for his idol for later.

"We are." Angela smiled. "Love little Angela's name, by the way."

"We are proud of you." Hodgins smiled. Lance gave his parents a shaky, unsure smile turning to look at Brennan.

"And you?"

"I'm very happy so far. Extremely glad to be with Booth again." She smiled and Booth wrapped an arm around her. Lance gave them a smile before turning towards Cam, who'd been silent for so long.

"I haven't seen you for a long time."

"True." Cam smiled. "I'm proud of you to, we all are."

"Thanks aunty." He smiled, using the only name he ever called her. Then his eyes shifted to Booth.

"I assume you're happy."

"If I'm with Bones I'm happy." Booth smiled.

"Yes.." Lance smiled at the spirit.

"Anything for me?" Sweets chuckled anxiously.

"I honestly don't think we have enough time for everything I wanna say." Lance replied, just as nervous. "Favorite psychologist?"

"John B. Watson was pretty good." Sweets shrugged, "Can't pick anyone."

"I...wow I mean you're my like...my dead idol." Lance said, pacing again.

"So I have heard." Sweets smiled. "They said you have read my manuscripts?"

"What? Oh yeah like five times." Lance said, waving his hands like that was obvious.

"Why so many times?" Sweets laughed. "Once wasn't enough for you?"

"I...liked them." Lance laughed nervously, "Every time I read them I'd notice a new detail. I was actually wondering..."

"Yeah?"

"Towards the end you were more...hopeless. Depressed I guess. What happened?"

"Lance!" Angela hissed.

"It's fine." Sweets held up a hand to her. "I... I'm not sure what happened. I was... Confused. And I was in pain almost constantly for... Awhile. I had a head injury that had... Blurried my perspective. It was just a really hard time to deal with, and then once he took me again I... I just thought that..." Sweets sucked in a breath and looked at the ground.

"No...no I understand." Lance bit his lip, eyeing his mother. "I know...what its like to think you're only when you know you aren't."

"At least it didn't cost you your life." Sweets mumbled. "That's something I'll always regret, doubting your parents. Brennan and Booth. I should have trusted them to get me."

"You of all people should know that this is not on you." Lance said, taking up a spookily familiar shrink pose. Hands in pockets, chin high, eyes soft. "I mean it did, in your case, end...well horribly but the TBI aunty diagnosed had to do with it. Not to mention that Havist may have drugged you."

"I know, I was there." Sweets chuckled oddly. "I know all that logically, but that doesn't change how it felt. I felt sad and alone. I may have been a little... Out if it but that's doesn't make it right. It still feels... Weird. I know it shouldn't, I know in some part of my brain I know, but it FEELS like it's my fault. I should have trusted the people I loved more and that's never going to be different."

"But...it could be right?" Lance raised an eyebrow and Sweets took a moment to consider he'd been reincarnated. "You...you're all together again, probably forever. You could have an afterlife together as a family, right?"

"Well yes... Vincent always said that was the goal. But this glow hasn't gone away yet." Sweets sighed. "It's really annoying and we want it to go away."

"Glow?" Lance said, furrowing his brow. "Well okay but maybe the key to getting the glow to go away is to act like it isn't there. So you can experience life-er... Death like you would without it."

"You're good." Sweets said nodding while considering the idea.

"If it helps, it has gotta better as his condition has improved. The more loved he has felt the less helpless and depressed he felt and the less he has glowed." Angela said, smiling at her brilliant boy. Lance nodded, then bit his lip.

"Alright well that makes sense. Positive emotional stimulation canceling out the negative effects of the circumstances he died."

"Woah!" Booth said giving a low whistle. Cam clapped her hands and giggled while Sweets gave an impressed not. "He sounded like he read that out of sweets shrinky book."

"Thanks." Lance blushed darkly, "Maybe, this will sound lame, maybe you guys should like...write him letters or tell him about how much you loved him while he was alive."

"Yeah" sweets said, eyes wide. "Yeah that could work. Why didn't I think of that?"

"Because you can't be objective about yourself." Lance smiled.

"Well I have told him all about how I felt about him, that was the first time his glow dimmed. So, I'm already down, who's up next?" Angela said, putting her hands on her hips.

"I'll try." Cam spoke up, turning towards sweets. She held her hands together in front of her, a nervous habit. "I know...I tried to always act professional and say our relationship was strictly that of consultant and psychologist. I do hope you know that it wasn't...After a while I began to view you more as...well something of another adopted son, maybe even as some sort of younger brother."

"You were always like a bossy but caring aunt to me." Sweets smiled, what was left of his glow starting to flicker lightly. "In the best possible way, of course." He tilted his head and looked at the others, looking for the one that would open up next. Hodgins mumbled at his wife and step-floated forward.

"I dunno man I know I said...a few things, not all of them helpful." Hodgins glanced around, sighing. "But you were like my annoying little brother or cousin or something that was too smart for his own good and got way taller then me."

"Why is my height important?" Sweets laughed, cocking a brow at Hodgins. "I get what you mean though. To me... You were that weird neighbor kid that you loved like a brother, even though he was always blowing stuff up in his frontyard." Sweets grinned, rubbing the back of his neck. The glow dimmed greatly this time, and Lance realised something.

"You didn't think my dad cared about you much." The youngest Hodgins said, tilting his head. "Why?"

"What? No! I mean... That's not important!" Sweets stammered, looking at Lance with wide eyes. Lance gave him an apologetic look, shifting uncomfortably as his father turned to Sweets.

"It's okay." Hodgins said with a smile that wasn't in his eyes. "I mean...with the way I act I probably would think I cared about me either...did that make sense?"

"Yes..." Sweets mumbled. "I understand. You do care, so thanks for that." Hodgins nodded, moving to step back but angela hissed at him.

"Alright fine." He hissed right back, "Sweets, man, I'm sorry I never...made my emotions known very well when we were alive. I wish...Man do I wish you would've known how much you meant to me."

"I know you do... It's okay, man. You were always a little... odd. When it came to emotions." Sweets shrugged. "I should have known. But thanks anyway for telling me, I needed to hear it."

"Right...yes." Hodgins fidgeted, and more or less his behind his back.

"So... Who is next?" Sweets murmured, looking to Booth and Brennan. Booth looked like he was doing to step forward but Brennan stopped him and stepped up to speak herself. Sweets blinked, thinking she had covered all she needed to say.

"Psychology…" She took a breath, lifting her eyes to lock on his. "Is a science. It is... Weak and ineffective, but it is a science. I might not like it, but it is. And over my time with you, you helped me a lot with your science. You used it to teach me things... And I owe you a great deal for that. You helped me become who I am- was. I became a mother... And a wife, and you were a big part of that. You, with your science, helped me to get to that point. It also helped me realize... That I love you, like I did Russ. Like... A brother." Sweets took a deep breath, brown eyes wide and innocent just as the others used to remember them. When the young man would smile, or look like he just got crowned a king if someone complimented him. They knew those eyes, those were the eyes they hadn't seen in over fifty years.

"Thank you." Sweets said, bringing her into a hug as his glow dimmed again and begun flickering wildly. "That means a lot. You were... Like a maternal figure at first, given That I met you in the aftermath if my parents deaths. Over time, you became like sister to me... I love you to." He murmured into her hair, his glow practically dancing as it flickered. Angela squeaked and pushed Booth forward and the man grumbled.

"Look uh, this emotional stuff…" Booth began, rubbing the back of his neck as Sweets turned towards him. "It's not exactly my thing but like… I'm sorry because...if I'd been better maybe you would've been able to grow up, so I'm sorry."

"Booth-"

"No, listen." Booth cut in, holding his hand out to halt the younger mans speaking. "You were...Well you weren't like a brother Sweets." Booth took a deep breath. "You were...something else, maybe the proper kind of brother. I felt like I had to save you, always to protect you, but I never thought...I always knew without me you could become a good man, because you were already a good kid. You became a man over the six years I knew you, not exactly an adult but a man and I wish I could've seen you grow up further. I'm sorry I couldn't and I'll always be sorry."

"It's not your fault, Booth. It's a lot of people fault, Havists fault, my fault, but it's never been your fault. You are like... A big brother to me, Booth, so I can understand why you feel this way but... You don't have to be sorry. It's not your fault, not in anyway." Sweets said, placing a hand on his shoulder. Booth smiled at him, taking a breath he'd been holding for years, for what seemed like his entire life. He put his hand over the spirits and smiled.

"I love you Sweets." Booth said, and before he could continue Brennan came forward.

"I love you, Dr. Sweets." That's when the spirits tears started. Angela came forward next, pulling Hodgins.

"We love you."

"Yeah man, love you." Hodgins said awkwardly before turning towards Cam.

"Of course I love you."

Sweets felt the warm feeling wrapping around his heart and filling him, slashing over him a like a wave. He felt his the darkness in his core snuff out and just as he felt that his glow danced and flashed before turning a light pink color and retreating into the spirit.

Vincent appeared then, breathing heavily and flailing around. He took a breath, catching the show before him. the glow diminishing and the smile on his best friends face growing. The young man grinned and flung himself into his friends arms. Sweets barely caught him, but laughed as his bumbling friend wrapped gangly arms around him.

"I'm so bloody happy!" Vincent cried, and Sweets released him with a laugh.

"So am I." Sweets laughed, beaming at the others. Lance watched the exchange with a smile. He was helping dead people, he was either very lucky or very crazy.

"Did that really just happen? Is it gone?" Booth asked, looking over Sweets. Sweets looked away from the hyper blue eyed Brit to grin at the older spirit. He nodded emphatically, grin growing impossibly wider and brown eyes bright.

"Yes!" He said, his voice cracking a little with tears.

"Is... Is it over?" Booth asked, smile growing as well.

"It... It's over. It's over." Sweets nodded before letting out a small, happy sob. Sweets hugged Vincent, then turned towards Lance, who looked flabbergasted and grinned.

"Thank you." He said seriously, and Lance nodded politely. "No I mean it, you're really...A very good psychologist. I'm glad you carried on my name, young man, I'd pick no one else."

"Young man? I'm older than you! You are like twenty-eight forever! I'm in my 40s." Lance laughed.

"I'm only twenty-eight on the outside." Sweets replied, pouting a little. Lance raised an eyebrow at that, earning an indignant huff from his idol. "But seriously dude, good job."

"Thanks." Lance's smirk softened into a joyful, childlike smile. "It means a lot to hear that from the guy I have kinda-maybe-sorta-totally been stalking for my entire life."

"Yeah... You should get back to Leena, she's probably worrying about you. But thanks again... Now I, we all can, finally rest in peace. I'll always be thankful to you for that." Sweets smiled. "My parents are going to flip when they see the glow is gone." Lance grinned and nodded, turning on his heels and jogging back into the room. "Wow…"

"No kidding." Angela said, smiling and punching his arm. "I mean….It's been what, 40-some-"

"54." Brennan said matter-of-factly.

"54 years and finally." Angela had tears in her eyes as she bounced in the air. "Finally you're….smiling." Booth lumbered forward, Angela sliding back to let him through as he pulled Sweets into a back breaking hug.

"Good job kid." Booth grinned, stepping back he looked Sweets over. The man had his head tilted, eyebrows drawn, the pensive shrink stare. Booth had never been happier to see it. He lifted a hand, bringing it down in a loving but strong hit on the other mans arm. Sweets yelped, flailing backwards and clutching the limb like it was broken.

"Wh-what was that for?!"

"I told you I'd punch you one day."

"And you had to wait till now!?" Sweets whimpered at him, clutching his arm and giving Booth a pitiful look. Hodgins laughed at the young mans behavior and the women all smiled. Booth gave the young man a grin, throwing an arm over his shoulder and hugging him tight.

"Come on kid." Booth said, just as a door appeared in a flash of blinding light on the far wall. "Let's go home."

"Right... Home." Sweets smiled and then the spirits all left.

Over the following years, they finally were able be together like a family. They all lived happily, waiting for their friends and family to come join them. The rest of the interns first, then the kids and eventually their grand kids. Over the years their happy little family only grew larger, and Sweets was glad for it.


End file.
